Oil-absorptive polymeric networks based on dispersed oleophilized nanolayers of laponite within ethylene-propylene-diene monomer vulcanizates

Abstract

Oil-absorptive polymeric nanocomposites were prepared through the melt blending of soft oleophilic ethylene-propylene-diene monomer and stearyl acrylate as a hydrophobic monomer in the absence and presence of different loadings of untreated and oleophilized laponites with quaternary ammonium salts of n-alkylamines of different chain lengths (C10, C12, and C16) with dicumyl peroxide as a vulcanizing agent. The samples were then vulcanized at 152°C according to the determined rheometric characteristics to produce nanocomposite vulcanizates of an exfoliated type with limited cavities as revealed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The produced vulcanizates were evaluated as oil-absorptive polymeric networks and proved to be efficient oil sorbents of moderate activity. The oil absorptivity was examined with respect to the stearyl acrylate grafting, the types of oleophilizing agents of clay in comparison with the bare clay, and the clay loading and crosslink density. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.