Mechanical and morphological properties of modified halloysite nanotube filled ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer nanocomposites

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were modified by γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) as it interacts with the aluminol and silanol groups of HNTs present at the edges and surfaces of HNTs. The polymer composites were prepared by means of the solution casting method with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer having 45% vinyl acetate (VA) content with different weight percent of modified HNTs (m-HNTs). The modification of the HNTs by γ-MPS increases the interfacial and inter-tubular interactions and the degree of dispersion of the HNTs within the EVA matrix which manifest from increase in crosslinking density. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tensile modulus and tear strength of nanocomposites were found to increase because of m-HNT. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and the crystalline percentage decreases for EVA/m-HNT nanocomposites were due to the strong interaction between EVA matrix and filler. Also, the EVA/m-HNT nanocomposites exhibited better thermal stability due to the strong inter-tubular interaction.