Potential of oxalic acid leached natural palygorskite-rich clay as multidimensional nanofiller to improve polypropylene

Abstract Potential of the multi-dimensional nanoparticle (MDP) derived from oxalic acid (OA)-leaching treatment of natural palygorskite-rich clay (PALC) as nanofiller to improve the properties of polypropylene (PP) was studied. It was revealed that the main mineral components in PALC (one-dimensional palygorskite (PAL), and two-dimensional minerals such as illite) retain their original shape after OA treatment, and the compatibility of PALC (or MDP) with PP can be improved by modifying them with KH570. Because MDP have higher surface activity and dispersivity than PALC, the KH-570 modified MDP shows better compatibility with PP and greater potential in improving PP material than modified PALC. The modified MDP not only enhanced the flexural strength of PP from 39.8 MPa to 50.5 MPa, but also improved the thermal stability, crystallinity and processing properties of PP. This work provides a new effective strategy for expanding the application of abundant natural PALC in improving polymer materials.