Structure-stress relaxation relationship in polystyrene/fluorohectorite micro-and nanocomposites

Sodium fluorohectorite (FH) was incorporated into polystyrene (PS) in amounts of 4.5 and 7 wt.% by melt mixing, with and without latex precompounding. The latex precompounding was used for the latex-mediated predispersion of FH particles. The related masterbatch was produced by mixing PS latex with the water-swellable FH, followed by drying. The dispersion of FH in PS was studied by transmission-, scanning electron-, and atomic force microscopy techniques (TEM, SEM, and AFM, respectively). The stress relaxation in the PS composites was determined in short-term isothermal tests. The latter were performed at various temperatures between 25 and 75°C. The direct melt mixing of FH with PS resulted in microcomposites, whereas the masterbatch technique gave rise to nanocomposites. The master curves (relaxation modulus vs. time), constructed by applying the time-temperature superposition principle (TTSP), showed that the Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) equation, the Maxwell model, and the Findley power law were fairly applicable to the experimental results obtained.