Interlamellar grafting of γ-methacryloxypropylsilyl groups on magadiite and copolymerization with methyl methacrylate

Organically modified magadiite has been prepared by grafting γ-methacryloxypropylsilyl (γ-MPS) groups to the interlayer surface. γ-Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane as silylating reagent was reacted with dodecyltrimethylammonium-exchanged magadiite. Formation of the organic derivatives of magadiite was confirmed by XRD, IR, ²⁹Si CP-MAS NMR, and ¹³C CP-MAS NMR. Copolymerization of the grafted groups with methyl methacrylate yielded a novel type of layered silicate-organic intercalation compound with covalently bound polymers in the interlayer space. This is in contrast to conventional clay-polymer systems where ionic interactions between silicates and organic modifiers are dominant.