Rapid exfoliation of rectorite in quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan

Exfoliated quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan/rectorite (QCMC/REC) nanocomposite was prepared via microwave irradiation method for 70 min, which was performed in only water without any additional plasticizer. XRD, TEM, AFM, SEM and FTIR results revealed that when the mass ratio of QCMC to REC was no less than 4:1, the silicate layers of REC were completely exfoliated in QCMC matrix and were homogenous with QCMC, the surface of QCMC/REC nanobiocomposite was very smooth; two types of interactions of hydrogen bond and electrostatic attraction existed in the QCMC/REC nanobiocomposite. Thermal analysis indicated that QCMC/REC nanobiocomposite had higher thermal stability than only QCMC. Therefore, the microwave irradiation method appears to be a promising tool for preparing exfoliated biopolymer/layered silicate nanocomposites at a mild condition.