Novel alpha-zirconium phosphonates for the reinforcement of ductile thermoplastics.

Abstract

Ductile thermoplastics are useful additives for providing fracture toughness to brittle thermosetting polymers; however, this toughening is usually accompanied by a significant decrease in elastic modulus. Therefore, alpha-zirconium phosphonates (ZrP) were developed and investigated as reinforcing nano-scale fillers that increase the yield strength and elastic modulus of a polyester thermoplastic without causing a reduction in its ductility. ZrP materials are synthetic layered compounds that are imbued with targeted organic surface functionalities and whose structural development can be carefully controlled in the laboratory. Ether-terminal alkyl ZrP materials were designed and synthesized, using a conventional ZrF₆<super>2-</super>-mediated preparation, with the intent of developing strong dipole-dipole interactions between the layer surfaces and polyester macromolecules. Additionally, a general method for using lamellar lyotropic liquid crystals (LLC's) as supramolecular templates for alkyl ZrP was evaluated, whose products showed promising similarity to the conventionally prepared materials. The LLC-forming characteristics of several organophosphonate preparations were determined, showing improved mesophase stability with mixed amphiphiles and preparation with R₄N<super> +</super> counterions. A mixed-surface octyl/methoxyundecyl ZrP was produced and combined with polycaprolactone (PCL) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in concentrations up to 50% (w/w). The mechanical properties of the ZrP/PCL nanocomposite were evaluated by tensile, flexural, and dynamic mechanical testing methods. Nanocomposites containing 5% (w/w) ZrP showed significant increases in tensile yield stress and elastic modulus without suffering any loss of ductility versus the unfilled polymer. Layer delamination from the ZrP tactoids was minimal and did not occur through an intercalative mechanism. Higher ZrP loadings resulted in the agglomeration of tactoids, leading to defect structures and loss of strength and ductility. Intercalative penetration of the ZrP tactoids by PCL was limited by kinetic barriers and also the strong interlayer attraction between the ZrP surfaces. Further modification to the ZrP surface is needed to reduce self-attraction between the layers. Formulations including a mobile solvent may also lead to intercalation and swelling of the tactoids. Finally, <italic>in situ</italic> templating, based on the newly observed LLC constructs, is recommended to avoid any remaining kinetic barriers to intercalation.