UV-curing and characterization of polymer–clay nanocoatings by dispersion of acrylate-funtionalized organoclays

Nanocoatings have been prepared by dispersing two different surfmer-modified nanosilicate platelets into acrylic resins. UV-induced polymerization gave rise to highly crosslinked networks. The UV-curing kinetics was not affected by the presence of the nanofiller. XRD and TEM investigations showed that, during the dispersion of the organoclays in the UV-curable resins, the surfmer treatment promotes an important lamellae intercalation which is maintained after UV curing. An increase of the Tg values and of the thermal stability was achieved in the samples containing 5 wt% of modified clay.