Preparation and characterization of PMMA–kaolinite intercalation composites

Polymethyl methacrylate–kaolinite intercalation composites were prepared by making use of intercalation method. Thus crude kaolinite (K0) was sequentially modified with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)–methanol (MeOH) and potassium acetate (KAc)-aqueous systems to expand the interlayer basal spacing. Then the organic molecules-modified kaolinite (K2) was used as clay precursor to synthesize the PMMA–kaolinite intercalation composites via in situ polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of benzoyl peroxide (BPO). The resulting different intercalation composites were characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy ATR-FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), ultraviolet (UV) absorbance experiments. At last, the mechanical and aging resistance properties of different kinds of compounds were tested.