Abstract:
A new type of material incorporating bentonite with an alkoxide, H2C=C(CH3)COO(CH2)3Si(OCH 3)3, has been prepared successfully using a sol-gel process. The structures and structural changes upon heating, of the bentonite and the sol-gel material were investigated by FTIR, XRD and DSC. Using the metal alkoxide and the corresponding clay mineral as precursors, the additive reaction followed by free radical polymerization resulted in a novel material in which polymer was attached covalently to silicate sheets of bentonite via hydroxy bonding.