SBS nanocomposites based on a SBS triblock copolymer containing different weight fractions of a commercial Cloisite 20A organoclay were prepared by melt‐processing. Extensive electron microscopy as well as WAXS and static tensile and tensile creep tests were used to evaluate the resulting morphological and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposite morphology is characterized by a combination of intercalated and partly exfoliated clay platelets with occasional clay aggregates present at higher clay contents; nanocomposite features that are reflected by the results of both the static tensile as well as the tensile creep tests at room temperature. For this particular thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposite system, well dispersed nanoclays lead to an enhanced stiffness and ductility; effects that induce promising improvements in nanocomposite creep performance.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.