EFFECT OF ADDITION OF MONTMORILLONITE AND CARBON NANOTUBES ON THERMAL RESISTANCE OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE)

The effect of the addition of sodium montmorillonite (MMT-Na, 0.2; 1.0 or 2.0 wt. %) or carbon nanotubes (CNT, 0.05 or 0.5 wt. %): single-walled (SWCNT) as well as multi-walled, functionalized on the surface with carboxylic groups (MWCNT-COOH) on the thermal properties of the nanocomposites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix was investigated. The synthesis of PMMA was carried out by suspension or block polymerization, while the composites were produced by introduction of nanoadditives into the polymer during the polymerization (in situ method) or adding them to PMMA solution (ex situ method). By using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) it was found that the obtained PMMA composites containing sodium montmorillonite or carbon nanotube nanoparticles exhibit better thermal resistance than the neat PMMA, while the degree of improvement in thermal properties depends on the dispersion of the nanoadditive in the polymer matrix.