Versatile high-performance organo-montmorillonite-nano TiO₂/epoxy composites

Versatile high-performance organo-montmorillonite (O-MMT)-nano TiO₂/epoxy composite was successfully prepared by co-incorporating O-MMT and nano TiO₂ into the epoxy matrix. XRD and TEM reveale that in O-MMT-nano TiO₂/epoxy composites, montmorillonite (MMT) layers are highly exfoliated into nanoscale MMT mono-platelets by the strong interaction among O-MMT, nano TiO₂ and epoxy, and the 2D MMT mono-platelets take an interlacing arrangement with the 0D nano TiO₂ particles in the epoxy matrix. The mechanical tests, thermal analyses and test for dirt pickup resistance and stain removal show that the resulting O-MMT-nano TiO₂/epoxy composite obtain considerable improvements over the pure epoxy in multiple properties. This study suggests that co-incorporation of proper, dimensionally different nanoscale particles into polymer matrices is a successful way for preparing versatile high-performance polymer composites.