Modified Clay Nanocomposites Synthesis

The monomers triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), 95%, and 2,2-Bis[p-(2′-hydroxy-3′-methacryloxypropoxy)phenylene]propane (Bis-GMA) were both provided by Aldrich, Taufkirchen, Germany. Co-initiator 2-(Dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA), 99%, and initiator camphorquinone, 98%, were purchased from J&K Scientific GmbH, (Lommel, Belgium). Commercially available OMMT, Nanomer^® I.34MN, produced by Nanocor Company (Hoffman Estates, IL, USA) and supplied by Aldrich (Taufkirchen, Germany), is an –onium ion modified clay containing 25 to 30 wt % methyl dixydroxyethyl hydrogenated tallow ammonium ion. OMMTs with different intercalating organomodifiers, such as cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (MMT-CTAC), dimethylaminooctadecyl methacrylate (MMT-DMAODM), dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (MMT-DMAHDM), as well as two surface modified analogs, with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, S.MMT-CTAC, and S.MMT-DMAHDM were all prepared in our previous works [49 (link),50 (link)]. The specific chemical structures of all MMT organomofidiers are represented in Figure 1. All other chemicals used were of reagent grade.