Abstract
It was found that montmorillonite cation exchanged for 12-aminolauric acid (12-montmorillonite) was swollen by ∊-caprolactam to form a new intercalated compound. Caprolactam was polymerized in the interlayer of montmorillonite, a layer silicate, yielding a nylon 6-clay hybrid (NCH). The silicate layers of montmorillonite were uniformly dispersed in nylon 6. The carboxyl end groups of 12-aminolauric acid in 12-montmorillonite initiated polymerization of ∊-caprolactam, and as 12-montmorillonite content became larger, the molecular weight of nylon was reduced. From the result of end-group analysis, carboxyl end groups were more than amino end groups. The difference between the carboxyl and the amino end groups was attributed to ammonium cations (-NH3 +) of nylon molecules, because the difference agreed with the anion site concentration of the montmorillonite in NCH. It is suggested that the ammonium cations in nylon 6 interact with the anions in montmorillonite.
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A layer of montmorillonite has a thickness of 10 Å and a specific gravity of 2.5. The thickness of organic-parts-occupied 12-aminolauric acid is 7.2 Å, and its gravity is 1.0. Total specific gravity of 12-montmorillonite is calculated to 1.9 (2.5 X 10 + 1.0 x 7. 2/17.21)
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Usuki, A., Kojima, Y., Kawasumi, M. et al. Synthesis of nylon 6-clay hybrid. Journal of Materials Research 8, 1179–1184 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1993.1179
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1993.1179