Modified nano-clay materials and nanocomposites made therefrom
AssigneenanoScience Engineering Corporation
InventorsPranav Nawani, David E. Burnett, Roy G. Crawford
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Abstract
A nano-clay material that exhibits improved compatibility with polymers is described. The nano-clay material may be mixed with polymers to produce a nano-clay polymer nanocomposite material including reduced levels of clay loading. Methods for making the nano-clay nanocomposite material and articles of manufacture from the nanocomposite material are also described.
Claims28
A modified nano-clay for a polymer nanocomposite material comprising:
- nano-scale clay particles having gallery spacing within the clay structure;
- and
- a modifying compound selected from a compatibilizer moiety, a scavenger moiety or combinations thereof,
- wherein the compatibilizer moiety or the scavenger moiety is intercalated within the gallery spacing of the clay particles, polymerized within the gallery spaces or on the surface of the clay, grafted to or from the clay particles, or deposited on at least a portion of a surface of the clay particles.
The modified nano-clay according to clay 1, wherein the modified nano-clay particles comprise dispersed, exfoliated nano-clay particles.
A polymer nanocomposite material comprising:
- a matrix phase comprising a polymer;
- and
- a dispersed phase comprising modified nano-clay particles,
- wherein the modified nano-clay particles comprise:
- nano-scale clay particles having gallery spacing within the clay structure;
- and
- a modifying compound selected from a compatibilizer moiety or a scavenger moiety,
- wherein the compatibilizer moiety or the scavenger moiety is intercalated within the gallery spacing of the clay particles, polymerized within the gallery spaces or on the surface of the clay, grafted to or from the clay particles, or deposited on at least a portion of a surface of the clay particles.
A process for producing modified nano-clay particles comprising:
- mixing a clay aggregate having gallery spacing within the clay structure with a modifying compound selected from a compatibilizer moiety, a scavenger moiety or combinations thereof;
- and
- intercalating the modifying compound into the gallery spacing if the clay structure, polymerizing the modifying compound in situ in the gallery spacing, grafting the modifying compound to or from the clay to provide a modified clay aggregate, or adsorbing the modifying compound on the surface of the clay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.