Preparation of clay-dispersed poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) nanocomposites using poly(ϵ-caprolactone) as a compatibilizer

Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN)/organoclay nanocomposites were prepared using poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) as a compatibilizer. Two-step mixing sequence was used to prepare the SAN nanocomposites: PCL/organoclay master batches with different degree of intercalation were prepared by melt mixing first, and then they were melt-mixed with SAN, where PCL is miscible with SAN. The intercalation behavior of PCL in the master batches was investigated in terms of the type of organic modifier and mixing conditions such as shear rate, mixing temperature and mixing time. Longer mixing time and lower mixing temperature were required to prepare exfoliated PCL master batches. As the degree of exfoliation of clays becomes better, the stiffness reinforcement effect of the organoclays increases in both PCL/organoclay master batches and their blends with SAN.