Chemically Functionalized Clay-Epoxy Nanocomposites: Vernonia Oil-based Surfactant

Reactive surfactant C19 hydroxyl amine hydrochloride and octadecyl amine hydrochloride are used to functionalize Na clay. The resultant clay is used to formulate an epoxy nanocomposite by the reactive diluent approach. The clay platelet morphology in the nanocomposites is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy. Addition of a comonomer glycidyl methacrylate and high-intensity ultrasonic mixing produces an epoxy nanocomposite with improved degree of clay platelet exfoliation. At an organoclay loading of only 3.5 wt%, the modulus improved by 25% in a partially reactive organoclay epoxy system, while the modulus improved by 15% in nonreactive organoclay epoxy system compared to that of epoxy resin.