Preparation of Modified Montmorillonite-Plant Fiber Composite Foam Materials

Materials (Basel). 2019 Jan 30;12(3):420. doi: 10.3390/ma12030420.

Abstract

In the present study, plant fiber foam materials have significant differences in density compared to conventional plastic foam materials. In view of the current problems of fiber foam materials, the montmorillonite (MMT) organically modified by octadecyl-dimethyl-benzyl-ammonium chloride (ODBA) was added to the preparation of composite foam materials by optimizing the existing formula. The properties of organic montmorillonite (OMMT) and the prepared composite foam materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and a standing wave tube sound absorption tester. The results showed that the pore size inside the plant fiber foam materials with the addition of OMMT was more uniform and arranged more closely and orderly. In addition, when the OMMT was added to 0.1 g, the density of the prepared OMMT-bagasse composite foam materials reached its lowest point of 0.079 g/cm³, which was shared with high foam materials.

Keywords: ODBA; OMMT; plant fiber composite foaming; sound absorption.