Intercalates formed by co-intercalation of monomer, oligomer or polymer intercalants and surface modifier intercalants and layered materials and nonocomposites prepared with the intercalates

A method of manufacturing a composite material containing about 10% to about 99.95% by weight of a matrix polymer selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic polymer, a thermosetting polymer, and mixtures thereof, and about 0.05% to about 60% by weight of exfoliated platelets of a phyllosilicate material, said platelets derived from an intercalated phyllosilicate having an intercalant surface modifier having an alkyl radical of at least 6 carbon atoms intercalated between and bonded to an inner surface of the phyllosilicate platelets through a bonding mechanism selected from the group consisting of ionic complexing;

• electrostatic complexing;
• chelation;
• hydrogen bonding;
• ion-dipole;
• dipole/dipole;
• Van Der Waals forces;
• and any combination thereof, comprising:
• contacting the phyllosilicate with an intercalating composition comprising water and said intercalant surface modifier, said intercalant surface modifier including an alkyl radical having at least 6 carbon atoms, to achieve intercalation of said intercalant surface modifier between said adjacent phyllosilicate platelets in an amount sufficient to space said adjacent phyllosilicate platelets a distance of at least about 10 .ANG.;
• combining the intercalate with said matrix polymer;
• exfoliating the spaced platelets of said intercalate into predominantly individual platelets;
• and
• dispersing said exfoliated platelets throughout said matrix polymer.

A composite material comprising a matrix polymer in an amount of about 40% to about 99.95% by weight of the composite material, and about 0.05% to about 60% by weight exfoliated platelets of a phyllosilicate material, said platelets derived from an intercalate formed by contacting a phyllosilicate with an intercalating composition containing an intercalant surface modifier, said intercalant surface modifier including an alkyl radical having at least 6 carbon atoms, without a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of onium ion and silane coupling agents, said intercalating composition having a concentration of said intercalant surface modifier of at least about 2% by weight, and a second intercalant selected from the group consisting of a polymerizable monomer, a polymerizable oligomer, a polymer, and a mixture thereof, wherein the concentration of said second intercalant in said intercalating composition is at least about 1% by weight, said second intercalant included in the intercalating composition in a quantity sufficient to incorporate multiple layers of said second intercalant between adjacent phyllosilicate platelets, and to achieve sorption of the intercalant surface modifier having alkyl radicals extending perpendicular to the phyllosilicate platelets to expand the spacing between a predominance of the adjacent phyllosilicate platelets at least about 10 .ANG., when measured after sorption of the said intercalant.

A method of manufacturing a composite material containing about 40% to about 99.95% by weight of a matrix thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer, and about 0.05% to about 60% by weight of exfoliated platelets of a phyllosilicate material, said platelets derived from an intercalated phyllosilicate having an intercalant monomer surface modifier intercalated between adjacent phyllosilicate platelets comprising:

• contacting the phyllosilicate with an intercalating composition including an intercalant monomer surface modifier having an alkyl radical of at least 6 carbon atoms, without first contacting the phyllosilicate with a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of onium ion and silane coupling agents, comprising at least about 5% by weight of said intercalant monomer surface modifier, and a second intercalant selected from the group consisting of a polymerizable monomer, a polymerizable oligomer, a polymer, and a mixture thereof, concentration of second intercalant monomer in said intercalating composition of at least about 1% by weight in a quantity sufficient to incorporate multiple layers of said second intercalant between adjacent phyllosilicate platelets for exfoliation of said platelets, to achieve intercalation of said intercalant monomer surface modifier and said second intercalant between said adjacent phyllosilicate platelets in an amount sufficient to space said adjacent phyllosilicate platelets a distance of at least about 10 .ANG.;
• combining the intercalated platelets with said thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer, and heating the thermoplastic polymer sufficiently to provide for flow of said thermoplastic polymer and delamination of the platelets of said phyllosilicate;
• and
• dispersing said delaminated platelets throughout said matrix polymer.