ARS | Publication request: PREPARATION OF EPOXIDIZED SOYBEAN OIL/CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES

Submitted to: World Oleochemical Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 19, 2005
Publication Date: April 10, 2005
Citation: Liu, Z., Erhan, S.Z. 2005. Preparation of epoxidized soybean oil/clay nanocomposites. World Oleochemical Conference. p. 145.

Technical Abstract: The epoxidized soybean oil (ESO)/clay nanocomposites have been prepared with triethylenetetramine (TETA) as a curing agent. The dispersion of the clay layers were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and revealed the intercalated structure of ESO/clay nanocomposites had developed. The thermogravimetric analysis exhibits that the ESO/clay nanocomposites are thermally stable at temperatures lower than 180 deg C, with the maximum weight loss rate after 325 deg C. The glass transition temperature, Tg, is about 7.5 deg C as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The nanocomposites with 5-10 wt.% clay content possess a storage modulus ranging from 2.0 x 10^6 to 2.70 x 10^6 Pa at 30 deg C. The Young's modulus (E) of these materials varies from 1.20 MPa to 3.64 MPa with the clay content ranging from 0 wt.% to 10 wt.%. The ratio of epoxy (ESO) to hydrogen (amino group of TETA) greatly affects the dynamic and tensile mechanical properties. At a higher amount of TETA, the nanocomposites exhibit better tensile and dynamic properties.