Process for preparing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer nanocomposite with an oligomer resin precursor and an article produced therefrom

A process for preparing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer-platelet particle nanocomposite comprising the steps of:

• (i) melt mixing platelet particles with a matrix polymer-compatible oligomeric resin to form an oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite, and
• (ii) mixing the oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite with a high molecular weight matrix polymer, thereby increasing the molecular weight of the oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite and producing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer nanocomposite material.

A process for preparing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer-platelet particle nanocomposite comprising:

• melt mixing platelet particles, a matrix polymer-compatible oligomeric resin, and a high molecular weight matrix polymer, thereby increasing the molecular weight of the mixture and producing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer nanocomposite material.

A process for preparing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer-platelet particle nanocomposite comprising the steps of:

• (i) melt mixing platelet particles with an oligomeric resin to form an oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite, and
• (ii) increasing the molecular weight of the oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite by reactive chain extension of the oligomeric resin to produce an exfoliated, high I.V. nanocomposite material.

A process for preparing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer-platelet particle nanocomposite comprising the steps of:

• (i) contacting a clay with an organic cation to form an organoclay comprising platelet particles,
• (ii) melt mixing the organoclay with a matrix polymer-compatible oligomeric resin to form an oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite, and
• (iii) mixing the oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite with a high molecular weight matrix polymer, thereby increasing the molecular weight of the oligomeric resin-platelet particle composite and producing an exfoliated, high I.V. polymer nanocomposite material.