Layered Nanocomposites of Platelet Particles and Polymers

Clay-polymer nanocomposites with a low addition of clay (<5 wt.%) in a polymer matrix results in significant improvement in material properties. Natural materials, such as nacre, show that a combination of a high platelet content in a polymer matrix with a layered packing of the platelets is strong and tough, even if the reinforcing component is itself brittle. This achievement of nature has inspired the synthesis of materials to mimic the nacre structure using smectite clay which has high aspect ratio and elastic modulus. This structure was reproduced by layer-by-layer assembly methods and improved the strength of such materials. A more rapid mass-production pathway has been found to produce sufficient order. We assembled a range of platelet-like particles such as clays, layered double hydroxides and graphene by similar methods and explored layered nanocomposites with polymers. We judge that these approaches will lead to a new generation of high stiffness to weight ratio materials based on biomimetic structures.