Effect of nanoclay on epoxy nanocomposites

Nanoclays are nanoparticles of layered mineral silicates with layered structural units that can form complex clay crystallites by stacking these layers. Nanoclay stacks are fully separated by polymer chains in the exfoliated structure, providing superior mechanical properties and polymer processability. There are three major synthesis procedures for polymer/nanoclay composites including the melt-blending method, solution-blending method and in-situ polymerization method In our method of making nano-composites, an epoxy, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) was mixed with different organically modified montmorillonite nanoclays under high shear. A model of visco-elastic deformation is presented which predicts linear to non-linear visco-elastic deformation dependent on the density and spacing of the silicate layers. On dependence of filler on epoxy nano-compisites, Cloisite nanocomposites show power law dependence on elastic and viscous modulus. Temperature dependence on the nano-composite appears to depend on the structure of the organic clay and its flexibility.