Direct observation of the intergallery expansion of polystyrene–montmorillonite nanocomposites

The intergallery expansion development of a series of differently modified montmorillonite polystyrene nanocomposites was directly observed with time-resolved in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) using synchrotron radiation. The results indicated that the interlayer expansion varied depending on the clay modification and the chemical compatibility of the clay modifiers with the styrene monomer. The influence of the differently modified clays on the free radical polymerization was also investigated, particularly the effect on the conversion of styrene and molecular weight evolution of the polymer. On the basis of the kinetic study of the polymerization of styrene in the presence of varied modified clay particles, the intergallery expansion mechanism was postulated and discussed for different composite morphologies. Such studies provide an important guideline for the design of clay modifiers and development of clay–polymer nanocomposites.