A facile synthesis of halloysite nanotubes based polymer nanocomposites for glass coating application

Abstract

Halloysite-based polymethyl methacrylate (HNT-PMMA) and polystyrene (HNT-PS) nanocomposite coatings for glasses were synthesized by ultrasound-assisted solution blending method. The coatings were then dip-coated on four different types of soda-lime glass and the spectral, mechanical properties of the coated glasses were analyzed. The coated glass samples displayed a better scratch resistance and surface hydrophobicity, compared to uncoated samples, without any significant changes in their inherent spectral properties. The thermal and mechanical properties (T<inf>g</inf> and tensile strength) of the nanocomposites were also enhanced compared to neat polymers. The improvement in thermal and scratch resistance of the coatings is ascribed to the inclusion of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in the polymer matrix. Hence, HNT-based PMMA/PS nanocomposite coatings can be effectively used for glasses in automotive and architectural applications. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.