Nanoscale dispersion of delaminated sheets of layered double hydroxides in polyvinyl acetate

The delamination of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) was supposed to be achieved in a microemulsion composed of octane, N-lauroyl-glutamate, butanol and water. In the X-ray diffraction patterns of LDHs, the diffraction peaks at low angle regions disappeared when the amount of octane reached a proper degree in the microemulsion, indicating that LDH layers might be delaminated, which is further proved by carbonate-exchange experiments. Furthermore, polyvinyl acetate/LDH nanocomposites were prepared via in situ intercalative polymerisation, in which vinyl acetate monomer was dispersed onto the sheets of delaminated LDHs, followed by thermal polymerisation. The thermal stability of the nanocomposites was improved compared with the polymer matrix, and the enhanced extent of the thermal stability increased with increasing loading amounts of delaminated LDHs.