Effect of an Organo-Modified Montmorillonite on the Barrier Properties of PET Nanocomposites Using a Polyester Ionomer as a Compatibilizing Agent

Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/organically modified montmorillonite (PET/o-Mt) nanocomposites were prepared via melt intercalation in a twin-screw extruder using a polyester ionomer (PETi) as compatibilizer. The o-Mt content used was 0, 1, 3 or 5 wt% and the compatibilizer/o-Mt mass ratio was 0/1, 1/1 or 3/1. The main objective was to study the effects of the addition of o-Mt and compatibilizer on the barrier properties of PET/o-Mt nanocomposites. The nanocomposites showed a significant reduction in CO2 permeability of up to 50% when compared to the neat PET, without significant change in the CO...