Organo‐vermiculite structure ordering after PVAc introduction

Abstract

Abstract Natural vermiculite served as a host for intercalation with quaternary ammonium salt (QUAT) followed by in‐situ polymerization of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). We studied the structural changes of organo‐vermiculite and its PVAc nanocomposite with the help of X‐ray diffraction analysis. The mean crystallite size of PVAc nanocomposite is double compared to that of organo‐vermiculite and its distribution of crystallite sizes presents a broader region but more uniform values than the curve calculated for organo‐vermiculite. Molecular dynamic calculation proved a monolayer arrangement of QUAT guests and a bilayer‐like system of guest organic molecules in the vermiculite gallery. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)