Mechanical properties of clay-polyimide (BTDA-ODA) nanocomposites via ODA-modified organoclay

Clay–polyimide [3,3′, 4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride–4,4′-oxydianiline (BTDA–ODA)] nanocomposites were synthesized from ODA-modified montmorillonite (organoclay) and poly(amic acid). The layered silicates of organoclay were intercalated by polyimide (BTDA–ODA), as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and by transmission electron microscopy, and the tensile mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were measured. It was found that the modulus and the maximum stress of these organoclay/BTDA–ODA nanocomposites were much higher than those of pure BTDA–ODA: a twofold increase in the modulus and a one-half-fold increase in the maximum stress in the case of 7/93 organoclay–BTDA-ODA. In addition, the elongation-for-break of organoclay/BTDA–ODA nanocomposites is even slightly higher than that of pure BTDA–ODA, which is a sharp contrast to that of conventional inorganics-filled polymer composites.