Method for exfoliating organoclay to produce a nanocomposite

1. A method to produce a nano-composite that comprises a thermoplastic olefin (TPO) polymer and an exfoliated organoclay, the method comprising:

contacting at least one molten TPO polymer with at least one organoclay by mixing the organoclay with the molten TPO polymer;

dispersing the organoclay within the molten TPO polymer to obtain a molten TPO polymer/organoclay blend;

adding at least one exfoliating agent of 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (H-TEMPO) or an amine precursor to H-TEMPO to the molten TPO polymer/organoclay blend;

mixing the exfoliating agent with the TPO polymer/organoclay blend by mechanical shearing such that the exfoliating agent exfoliates the organoclay; and

forming a nano-composite having delaminated organoclay, wherein the organoclay is present in an amount from 0.125 to 0.25 wt % based on the total weight of the nano-composite.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the TPO polymer comprises at least one of a polyolefin, an ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, an ethylene-propylene elastomer, a terpolymer elastomer made from ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM), or a polyvinylchloride (PVC).

3. The method of claim 2 in which the polyolefin comprises polyethylene or polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers.

4. The method of claim 2 in which the TPO polymer comprises EPDM.

5. The method of claim 2 in which the TPO polymer comprises at least one of a polyolefin, an ethylene-propylene elastomer, or a terpolymer elastomer made from ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

6. The method of claim 1 in which the exfoliating agent is H-TEMPO.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the step of mixing the exfoliating agent with the TPO polymer/organoclay blend by mechanical shearing comprises introducing the exfoliating agent and TPO polymer/organoclay blend at one end of an extruder and receiving the nano-composite having delaminated organoclay at a second end of the extruder.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising controlling the amount of shear applied.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising forming a nano-composite having delaminated organoclay with planes of the organoclay not in excess of 6 layers thick.

10. A method to produce a nano-composite that comprises a thermoplastic olefin (TPO) polymer and an exfoliated organoclay, the method comprising:

contacting at least one molten TPO polymer with at least one organoclay by mixing the organoclay with the molten TPO polymer;

dispersing the organoclay within the molten TPO polymer to obtain a molten TPO polymer/organoclay blend;

adding at least one exfoliating agent of 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (H-TEMPO) or an amine precursor to H-TEMPO to the molten TPO polymer/organoclay blend;

mixing the exfoliating agent with the TPO polymer/organoclay blend by mechanical shearing such that the exfoliating agent exfoliates the organoclay; and

forming a nano-composite having delaminated organoclay,

wherein the organoclay is (i) present in an amount from 2-6 wt % based on the total weight of the nano-composite or (ii) present in an amount of less than 1 wt % based on the total weight of the nano-composite.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the TPO polymer comprises at least one of a polyolefin, an ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer, an ethylene-propylene elastomer, a terpolymer elastomer made from ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM), or a polyvinylchloride (PVC).

12. The method of claim 11 in which the polyolefin comprises polyethylene or polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers.

13. The method of claim 11 in which the TPO polymer comprises EPDM.

14. The method of claim 10 in which the exfoliating agent is H-TEMPO.

15. The method of claim 10 in which the step of mixing the exfoliating agent with the TPO polymer/organoclay blend by mechanical shearing comprises introducing the exfoliating agent and TPO polymer/organoclay blend at one end of an extruder and receiving the nano-composite having delaminated organoclay at a second end of the extruder.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising controlling the amount of shear applied.

17. The method of claim 11 in which the TPO polymer comprises at least one of a polyolefin, an ethylene-propylene elastomer, or a terpolymer elastomer made from ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

18. The method of claim 10 comprising forming a nano-composite having delaminated organoclay with planes of the organoclay not in excess of 6 layers thick.