Clay-Based Polymer

Nanocomposites

G Anil kumar
316206932003
Mtech 1/2yr (MEMH)
• Polymer :-
A polymer is a chemical compound where molecules are
bonded together in long repeating chains. These materials,
polymers, have unique properties and can be tailored depending on
their intended purpose.
Example- Rubber, wool, silk, plastic

• Composites :-
Composites are two or more materials with different
physical or chemical properties – categorized as “matrix” or
“reinforcement” – combined in a way that they act in concert, yet
remain separate and distinct at some level because they don’t fully
merge or dissolve into one another.
Example- Concrete, metal composites
• Composites have the properties of mixed materials
 INTRODUCTION
• Polymer nano composites have emerged as a new class of materials
and attracted considerable interest and investment in research and
development worldwide . This is largely due to their new and often
much improved mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical
properties as compared to their macro- and micro-counterparts.
• Different approach to prepare polymer nano composites is to
employ intercalation chemistry of layered inorganic solids in which
polymer is inserted into the interlayer space.
• Such layered solids include graphite, clay minerals, transition metal
dichalcogenides, metal phosphates, phosphonates and layered
double hydroxides, etc.
• Among them, clay minerals have been widely used and proved to
be very effective due to their unique structure and properties.
 CLAY MINERALS
• Clay minerals used for polymer nanocomposites can be
classified into three groups. They are
• 2:1 type
• 1:1 type
• layered silicic acids.
• 2:1type: The clays belong to the smectite family with
the crystal structure consisting of nanometer thick
layers (platelets) of aluminium octahedron sheet
sandwiched in between two silicon tetrahedron
sheets.
• 1:1 type: The clays consist of layers made up of one
aluminium octahedron sheet and one silicon
tetrahedron sheet.
• Layered Silicic Acids: The clays consist mainly of
silicon tetrahedron sheets with different layer
thickness. Their basic structures are composed of
layered silicate networks and interlayer hydrated
alkali metal cations.
 Processing and Characterization
• When layered clays are filled into a polymer matrix, either
conventional composite or nanocomposite can be formed
depending on the nature of the components and processing
conditions.
• Conventional composite:- It is obtained if the polymer can
not intercalate into the galleries of clay minerals.
• There are two extreme nanostructures resulting from the
mixing of clay minerals and a polymer under favorable
conditions. They are_
 Types of Nanocomposites
• Intercalated Nanocomposite(I):-
In this monolayer of extended polymer
chains is inserted into the gallery of clay
minerals resulting in a well ordered
multilayer morphology stacking
alternately polymer layers and clay
platelets and a repeating distance of a
few nanometers

• Exfoliated or delaminated
nanocomposite(II):- In this the clay
platelets are completely and uniformly
dispersed in a continuous polymer
matrix.
• However, it should be noted that in
most cases the cluster (so-called
partially exfoliated) nanocomposite (III)
is common in polymer nanocomposites.
 Processing Techniques
• There are three processes to make clay-based polymer
nanocomposites
1. In-situ polymerization
2. Solution exfoliation
3. Melt intercalation
• In-situ polymerization:- In this monomers are
intercalated into layered clays and subsequently
polymerized within the gallery via heat, radiation,
pre-intercalated initiators or catalysts.
• Solution exfoliation:- In this the layered clays are
exfoliated into single platelets using a solvent in
which the polymer is soluble. The polymer is then
mixed with the clay suspension and adsorbed
onto the platelets. The solvent is finally
eliminated from the clay polymer complex
through evaporation.
• Melt intercalation:- In this the layered clays are
directly mixed with the polymer matrix in the
molten state.
 Characterization Techniques
• The structure of polymer nanocomposites is generally
characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission
electron microscope (TEM).
• Nanostructure can be studied by monitoring the position,
shape, and intensity of the basal reflections of XRD patterns
of the materials.
• TEM can provide direct qualitative information of structure,
morphology and spatial distribution of the various
components as well as the defect structure.
Some other Characterization techniques :-
 Basic Properties of Nanocomposites
• Polymer nanocomposites exhibit enormously enhanced
properties and higher performance as compared to both
their conventional polymer composites and pure polymers.
• Such improvement is obtained without the increase of
polymer density.
• Now we study the following properties of Nanocomposites
1. Mechanical properties
2. Thermal properties
3. Barrier properties
4. Electrical conductivity
5. Biodegradability
1. Mechanical properties :-
• The enhancement in mechanical properties
of polymer nanocomposites can be attributed
to the high rigidity and with the good affinity
between polymer and organoclay.
• Stronger interface interactions significantly
reduce the stress concentration point upon
repeated distortion which easily occurs in
conventional composites reinforced by glass
fibers and thus lead to weak fatigue strength.
• The exfoliation of clay minerals can also
result in substantial property improvement,
including enhanced mechanical properties
like , dimensional stability,chemical stability,
resistance to solvent swelling, excellent
transparency, together with high barrier
property and reduced flammability of
polymer nanocomposites
2. Thermal Properties
• The thermal stability of polymer composites is generally
estimated from the weight loss upon heating which results
in the formation of volatile products.
• The improved thermal stability in polymer nanocomposites
is due to the clay platelets which hinder the diffusion of
volatiles and assist the formation of char after thermal
decomposition.
• Heat resistance upon external loading
• The multilayered clay structure acts as an excellent
insulator.
• Char formation and clay structure impede the escape of the
decomposed volatiles from the interior of a polymer matrix
3. Barrier Properties
• Polymer nanocomposites have excellent barrier
properties against gases (e.g., oxygen, nitrogen
and carbon dioxide),water and hydrocarbons.
• The best gas barrier properties would be
obtained in polymer nanocomposites with fully
exfoliated clay minerals.
• In addition, polymer nanocomposites have also
shown better barrier properties against organic
solvents such as alcohol, toluene and chloroform.
4. Electrical conductivity
• Clay minerals exhibit unique electrical properties,
which is mainly attributed to their ionic conductivity.
Although the clay layers can be regarded as insulators,
the hydrated interlayer cations and their mobility
ensure a significant ionic conductivity of the system.
• Polymer nano composites can be doped with different
materials to different values of electrical conductivity.
5. Biodegradability
• Another interesting and exciting property is the
significantly improved biodegradability of
nanocomposites made from organoclay and
biodegradable polymers.
 APPLICATIONS AND COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
1. In Automotive Components:-
• Polymer nanocomposites offer higher performance with significant
weight reduction and affordable materials for transport industries
such as automotive and aerospace.
• It exhibited good rigidity, excellent thermal stability also saves the
weight by up to 25% due to the lower amount of clays being used.
• nylon 6 nanocomposites have also been used as engine cover, oil
reservoir tank and fuel hoses in the automotive industry
• It is now believed that polymer nanocomposites can be utilized as
potential materials in various vehicles for external and internal
parts such as mirror housings, door handles and under-the-hood
parts.
2. In Packaging Materials:-
• The excellent barrier properties of clay-based
polymer nanocomposites would result in
considerable enhancement of shelf-life for many
types of packaged food.
• It is acceptable widely in packaging industries as
wrapping films and beverage containers, such as
processed meats, cheese, confectionery, cereals,
fruit juice and dairy products, beer and
carbonated drinks bottles.Fpes of packaged food.
• PLA (polylactic acid) is of increasing commercial
interest because it is made from renewable
resources and readily biodegradable.
3. Nanocomposites in Electromaterials :-
• Polymer nanocomposites open a promising
route to organic–inorganic materials with
peculiar electrical properties.
• It is used in applications such as modified
electrodes, biosensors, solid-state batteries,
smart windows and other electrochemical
devices.
4. Nanocomposites for Drug Delivery
5. Nanocomposites in Sensors
6. Nanocomposites in Medical Devices
 Conclusion
• It is clear that clay minerals are cost-effective and
versatile raw materials for polymer
nanocomposites, due to their
1. Unique layered structure
2. Rich intercalation chemistry
3. High in-plane strength
4. High stiffness
5. Abundance in nature
6. Availability at low cost
THANKYOU