Nanocomposite materials (LAW392)

A latex comprising:

• at least one liquid selected from the group consisting of water, dimethyl formamide, aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic alkanes, esters, and ethers;
• about 0.1 wt.% to about 70 wt.% of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, maleate, succinate, surfactants having carboxyl containing groups, acrylate, benzylic hydrogens, benzylic halogens, aliphatic halogens, and oxazoline;
• and about 0.2 wt.% to about 4 wt.%. based on the total weight of the latex, of a layered material having an interlayed seperation and selected from the group consisting of smectite clay, montmorillonite, saponite, beidellite, montionite, hectorite, stevensite, vermiculite, and hallosite;
• the layered material being intercalated with about 0.1 wt.% to about 63 wt.% of a functionalized preformed polymer formed from at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of styrene, paramethyl styrene, butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, ethylene, propylene, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, nitrites such as acrylonitrile, butene, hexene, heptane, isobutylene, octene, maleic anhydride, succinic anhydride, dienes, and acrylates, thereby expanding the interlaying separation of the layered material;
• the polymer having functional groups in an amount ranging from about 0.01 to about 900 mili-eguivalents per 100 grams of polymer and selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, maleate, succinate, carboxyl containing groups, acrylate, benzylic hydrogens, benzylic halogens, aliphatic halogens, and oxazoline.