Preparation of Composites by In Situ Polimerisation of PET-Hydrotalcite Using Dodecylsulphate
A polyethylenterephthalate-hydrotalcite (PET-HT) composite was prepared by in situ polymerisation, using polyethylenterephthalate (PET) and different amounts of a hydrotalcite with dodecylsulphate in the interlayer space (DS-HT). The resulting material has been characterised by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The thermal stability of PET is not greatly enhanced upon incorporation of the inorganic component, despite PXRD shows that the HT is exfoliated in the composite. Thus with 2-10% shows a complete dispersion of the layered component in the polymeric matrix, while if the inorganic loading is between 20-50 % (larger loadings were not tested) no complete dispersion is achieved and PXRD-detectable agglomerates are formed.