Organically modified layered clay as well as organic polymer composition and tire inner liner containing same

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to an organically modified layered clay as well as an organic polymer composition containing the same and a tire inner liner formed from the organic polymer composition. More specifically, it relates to an organic polymer composition having layered clay, of which layers are exfoliated, finely dispersed therein, obtained by mixing a certain specific organically modified layered clay with a specific organic polymer. Such an organic polymer composition is suitably used, for example, for a tread, carcass, inner liner, etc. of a pneumatic tire utilizing its abrasion resistance, air barrier property, and other properties.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#The present invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the drawing FIG. 1, wherein X-diffraction charts (a) and (b) of the organic polymer compositions obtained in Example 19 and Comparative Example 15 are shown.

#The singular forms “a”, “an ” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

#The present inventors found that, by forming an organic polymer composition composed of an organically modified layered clay by ionic bonding of an organic compound having an ammonium group and an amino group in the molecule thereof and an organic polymer having a functional group capable of reacting with an amino group and by forming an organic polymer composition composed of an organically modified layered clay by ionic bonding of an organic compound having an ammonium group and an amino group in the molecule thereof and a low molecular weight organic polymer having an average molecular weight of less than 50,000 and having a functional group capable of reacting with an amino group and/or a high molecular weight organic polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 50,000 or more and having a functional group capable of reacting with an amino group, it is possible to form an organic polymer/clay nanocomposite having layers of the layered clay, of which layers are exfoliated, finely dispersed therein.

#The organically modified layered clay ionically bonded with an organic compound having an ammonium group and an amino group in the molecule thereof, according to the present invention can be easily obtained by treating a layered clay according to a known method disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2001-164134. Here, “ammonium group” means a group having the following moiety: 1