A rheological analysis of interactions in phenoxy/organoclay nanocomposites

Novel oscillatory flow results of phenoxy/organoclay nanocomposites are analysed considering the blocking effect of nanostructure on polymer chain mobility. The modification provoked by this hindering effect on loss tangent spectrum is investigated. The study of three different systems, involving a pristine montmorillonite and two montmorillonites modified with one alkyl tail and two alkyl tails, respectively, leads to conclude that polymer–alkyl repulsive interactions play the most important role in the chain mobility obstruction process. Our results suggest that polymer–alkyl interactions increase with temperature.