Application of modified kaolinite in improving thermal stability of polydimethylsiloxane

Abstract

This research investigated the chemical structure and morphology of the hydrogenated tallow amine (HTA)‐intercalated kaolinite by XRD, FT‐IR, and TEM measurements. The experimental outcomes show that intercalation of kaolinite by HTA, with an intercalation rate of 63.2%, expands the interlayer distance with a subsequent dominant basal XRD peak at 2 θ ≈ 7.9°. Furthermore, a composite was created from the HTA‐intercalated kaolinite and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a favorable interaction between the end silanol groups of PDMS and the modified kaolinite surface. Thermogravimetry‐differential scanning calorimetry results indicate that introducing the HTA‐intercalated kaolinite into the PDMS matrix increases the thermal stability of the composite from 178 to 343°C. However, the thermal stability of the composite is lower than that of other published materials. The synthesis of kaolinite/PDMS composite with enhanced structural and thermal stability outcomes has been provided via a simple and effective solution method that should have further applications.