Polymer nanocomposites comprising a polymer and an exfoliated particulate material derivatized with organo silanes, organo titanates, and organo zirconates dispersed therein and process of preparing same

A process for forming a polymeric composite which comprises layered or fibrillar particles dispersed in a polymeric matrix which comprises:

• forming a reaction mixture of an inorganic meterial comprising layered or fibrillar particles and an organo metallic species selected from the group consisting of organo silanes, organo titanates and organo zirconates, said species having one or more moieties which are capable of forming covalent bonds with said particles and said species having one or more moieties which are reactive with a polymer precursor or said species having one or more moieties which promote intermingling with a polymer formed by polymerization of said polymer precursor or a combination of said species to form a swellable and polymer compatible intercalated material comprising said species arrayed between said layers or fibrils with increased interlayer or interfibril spacing having a first residue of said organo metallic species covalently bonded to a surface of all or a portion of said particles;
• and polymerizing said polymer precursor in the presence of said swellable and polymer compatible intercalated material to form a composite having said particles uniformly dispersed in a polymeric matrix comprising said polymer, wherein the interlayer or interfibril distances is equal to or greater than about 50 A, the average thickness of said platelet particles is equal to or less than about 50 A where the maximum thickness is equal to or less than about 100 A and the average diameter of said fibrils is equal to or less than about 100 A where the maximum diameter is equal to or less than about 200 A, wheren the length to diameter ratio of said fibril is equal to or greater than about 10 to about 1, said particles having organo metallic species bonded thereto said bonded species having one or more moieties bonded to at least one polymer in said polymer matrix, or said species having one or more moieties which are comparable with at least one polymer in said polymer matrix which project away from the particle surface and which are not bonded to said polymer or a combination of said species.