Preparation of Antimicrobial methyl Methacrylate Polymer Nanocomposites with Surface Modification of clay

Polymer Nanocomposites Formed organically Modified Montmorillonite(MMT)[1.2] offer the promise of greatly improved properties over those of the matrix polymer, provided the organoclay [3]can be dispersed, or exfoliated, into the polymer matrix to generate high aspect ratio particles. In this paper Sodium Montmorillonite (NaMMT) has been modified via cation exchange reaction using 2-Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate as an organic cation. Basal spacings, interlamellar structure and thermal stability of these organo-Montmorillonites (OMMT) clays have been characterized using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) technique.Then we use the OMMT as a nanoparticle in the matrix of polymer. Polymer chains were grafted to the nanoparticles and a novel polymer nanocomposite with different structure and properties was made. We have studied the new structure and properties as compared with the homopolymer without nanoparticles and using other comonomers and nanoparticles to make a new antimicrobial material

Keywords:

Organoclay , Nanocomposite , Antimicrobial , Montmorillonite