Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/clay nanocomposites: Effect of clay nature and organic modifiers on morphology, mechanical and thermal properties

Nanocomposites based on an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (27 wt% vinyl acetate) and various (organo-modified) clays have been prepared by melt blending and their morphology, tensile and thermal degradation properties have been evaluated. Special attention has been paid to the influence of the clay nature and origin (montmorillonite or fluoromica) as well as on the nature of the ammonium cation organic modifier. It has been shown that nanostructure and tensile properties mainly depend on the nature of the organic modifier while the delay in thermal volatilisation of EVA during thermo-oxidation is mainly driven by the nature of the clay (mainly its aspect ratio), with no significant influence of the nanostructure of the nature of the organic modifier.