PVC and PVC-VA nanocomposites: negative effects on thermal stability

Polymer layered silicate nanocomposites constitute a new class of materials with unique properties offering new techonlogical and economic opportunities. The organic modification of clay, forming so-called organoclay, opened the possibility to make nanocomposites with a wide range of polymers. However, in spite of the organic treatment of the clay, preparation of PVC nanocomposites via direct melt compounding still poses many problems due to the rather low stability of PVC to the influence of heat. Intercalted PVC/organoclay and PVC-VAc/organoclay nanocomposites were prepared via direct melt compounding. The thermal degradation of PVC nanocomposites was studied in thermogravimetry where it was observed a destabilizing effect.