Design, fabrication and characterization of silane tailored surface of halloysite based polymer nanocomposites

Abstract In recent years, polymeric drug conjugates, nanoparticles, nanocapsules, liposomes, micelles, dendrimers, and nanogels have been gained a great attention. Organically modified layered nanoclays have become an attractive hybrid biomaterial due to their wide range of uses, which can be designed with desired properties in a wide variety of applications from industry to medicine. Functional water‐soluble poly(maleic anhydride‐ alt ‐acrylic acid) [poly(MA‐ alt ‐AA)], synthesized in our previous study, was chosen for the prepare of halloysite/polymer nanocomposite. Surface modification of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) with 3 ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) was performed to obtain organic functionalized halloysite and also for better compatibility of nanotubes (NTs) with monomers. Nanocomposite were obtained by in situ solution complex‐radical copolymerization via charge transfer complex under conditions of copolymerization, using pristine and APTS functionalized HNTs, acrylic acid (AA), and maleic anhydride (MA) monomers. Optimization study using different clay ratios and recipe for organic–inorganic compatibility also were carried out. Characterization studies of halloysite, modified halloysite, copolymers and the formed copolymer‐HNT nanotubes were enlighten by using spectroscopic analyzes such as, Attenuated Total Reflectance‐Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), High resolution Raman (HR‐Raman), X‐Ray Diffraction Measurements (XRD) and X‐Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Thermal analysis and dynamic mechanical properties were performed with Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), respectively. Surface morphology was also carried out by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In the light of these detailed analysis results, it can be briefly concluded that surface modification of HNT, synthesis of copolymer/HNT nanocomposites, and structural characterization successfully achieved.