Preparation of Mg–Al layered double hydroxide/polyamide 6 nanocomposites using Mg–Al–taurate LDH as nanofiller

• Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) intercalated with taurate
• Formation of stable dispersion LDH/ε-caprolactam melt
• Preparation of LDH/polyamide 6 nanocomposites by in situ procedure

A novel method using Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) intercalated with taurate (2-aminoethanesulfonate acid) was applied for preparation of LDH/polyamide 6 nanocomposites via in situ intercalative polymerization. Two polymerization mechanisms were used — hydrolytic and anionic polymerization of ε-caprolactam, in which the Mg–Al LDH intercalated with taurate was dispersed. The obtained LDH/polyamide 6 nanocomposites were characterized by a combination of wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. It was found that LDH filler was exfoliated in the polymer matrix and the LDH/polyamide 6 nanocomposites were successfully prepared by anionic polymerization of ε-caprolactam in the presence of dispersed LDH.