A new dispersion method for the preparation of polymer/organoclay nanocomposite in the electric fields

A new electric application method was developed to prepare epoxy/organoclay nanocomposite for the electrical insulation in the ac electric fields and it could be also used in the field of various viscous polymer/organoclay systems. The applied ac electric field condition was as follows; (1) inter-electrode distance: 40 mm, (2) application voltage: 3-11 kV, (3) frequency: 60-1,000 Hz, and (4) application time: 0-60 min. To characterize the epoxy/clay nanocomposite, WAXS and TEM analyses were performed. In order to explain how the organic modifier affects the exfoliation phenomena, a mechanism of the oscillating collision of the quaternary ammonium head was proposed and the effects of the ac voltage and frequency and the organoclay content were studied.