POLYMER-CLAY HYBRIDS

Polymer-clay hybrids, organic-inorganic molecular composites, were prepared. X-ray and TEM measurements revealed that each 10 Angstrom template of clay mineral is dispersed in the polymer matrix and that the repeat unit increased from 12 Angstrom in unintercalated material to more than 200 Angstrom, in the intercalated material. Thus, polymer-clay hybrids are ''polymer based molecular composites'' or ''nanometer composites''. They, when molded, show excellent mechanical properties compared to unfilled polymers and/or conventional composites. In the hybrids negatively charged silicate (clay mineral) and positively charged polymer-ends are directly bonded through ionic bonds. The mechanism of reinforcement is discussed with the results of CP-MAS NMR and pulsed NMR studies.