ADVANCES IN POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY -- ADVANCES IN POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- Chapter 1 POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES TECHNOLOGY: AN OVERVIEW -- Abstract -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. Inorganic Filler Materials -- 1.3. Type of Nanocomposite Microstructures -- Monomer Intercalation Method -- Common Solvent Method or Solution Method -- Melt Intercalation Method -- 1.4. Polymer-Layered Nanocomposite Systems -- 1.5. Advanced Clay Modifications -- 1.6. Presence of Excess Modification & Thermal Stability -- 1.7. Prediction of Nanocomposite Properties -- 1.8. Other Considerations -- References -- Chapter 2 ADVANCES IN POLAR NANOCOMPOSITES TECHNOLOGY -- Abstract -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Nanocomposites of Polyamides -- 2.2.1. Effect of Polymer Molecular Weight -- 2.2.2. Effect of Surfactant -- 2.2.3. Effect of Polyamide Crystallization -- 2.2.4. Other Polyamides -- 2.2.5. Other Nanofillers -- 2.3. Nanocomposites of Epoxy -- 2.3.1. Formation of Exfoliated Nanostructure -- 2.3.2. Preparation Methods -- 2.3.3. Effect of Carbon Nanotubes -- 2.3.4. Plasticization Effect -- 2.3.5. Some Properties of Epoxy Nanocomposites -- 2.4. Nanocomposites of Polyurethanes -- 2.4.1. Preparation Methods -- 2.4.2. Waterborne Polyurethanes -- 2.4.3. Polyurethane Foams -- 2.5. Nanocomposites of Polyimides -- 2.5.1. Preparation Methods -- 2.5.2. Low k Nanocomposites -- 2.5.3. Effect of Carbon Nanotubes -- 2.6. Summary -- References -- Chapter 3 POLYMER/CLAY NANOCOMPOSITES THROUGH EMULSION AND SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION -- Abstract -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Polymerization in Dispersed Media -- 3.2.1. Polymerization Techniques and Commercial Products -- Emulsion Polymerization -- Suspension Polymerization -- 3.3. Implications of the Type of Clay in the Synthesis of WPCNs.

3.4. Synthesis of Waterborne Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites Using Pristine Clay Dispersed in Water -- 3.4.1. Pristine Clay in Aqueous Phase -- 3.4.2. In-situ Modified Clay in Aqueous Phase -- 3.4.3. In-situ Modification of Clay With Non-Cationic Amphiphilic Compounds in Aqueous Phase -- 3.4.4. Blends of Polymeric Dispersions with Clay Dispersions -- 3.5. Synthesis of Waterborne Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites Using Organicaly Modified Clays (OMC) -- 3.5.1. OMC Dispersed in the Water Phase and Proceeded as in Emulsion Polymerization -- 3.5.2. OMC Dispersed in the Organic Phase Followed by Emulsion, Suspension or Miniemulsion Polymerization -- 3.5.3. Molar Mass Distribution of WPCN Synthesized Using OMCs -- 3.6. Summary and Future Trends -- 3.7. Acronyms -- References -- Chapter 4 STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATIONS AND INTERACTIONS IN POLYMER/ LAYERED-SILICATE NANOCOMPOSITES -- Abstract -- 4.1. Introduction -- 4.2. Nanocomposite Structure -- 4.2.1. Particle Structure -- 4.2.2. Gallery Structure of the Silicate -- 4.2.3. Exfoliation -- 4.2.4. Silicate Network -- 4.3. Effect of Preparation Conditions on Structure -- 4.3.1. In-Situ Polymerization -- 4.3.2. Solution Mixing -- 4.3.3. Melt Compounding -- 4.4. Interfacial Interactions -- 4.4.1. Surface Characteristics of Silicates -- 4.4.2. Interactions -- 4.4.3. Interphase Structure and Properties -- 4.5 Composite Properties -- 4.5.1. Stiffness -- 4.5.2. Strength Reinforcement -- 4.5.3. Micromechanical Deformation Processes -- 4.6. Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 5 ADVANCES IN CLAY SURFACE MODIFICATION APPROACHES -- Abstract -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Nanocomposites with Conventionally Modified Silicates -- 5.3. Nanocomposites with Specifically Modified Silicates -- 5.4. Other Concerns -- References -- Chapter 6 THERMALLY STABLE POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES -- Abstract -- 6.1. Introduction.

6.2. Nanoelement Filled Polymer Composites -- 6.3. Clay & Organically Modified Clay -- 6.3.1. Thermal Stability of Alkyl Ammonium Modified Clay -- 6.3.2. Thermal Stability of Phosphonium and Imidazolium Modified Clay -- 6.3.3. Thermal Stability of Covalently Bonded Clay -- 6.4. Thermal Decomposition of Epoxy Resin -- 6.5. Thermal Decomposition of Organically Modified Cationic Clay Filled Epoxy Nanocomposites -- 6.5.1. Dependence of Thermal Stability on Clay Loading in the Nanocomposite -- 6.5.2. Dependence of Thermal Stability on the Nature of Epoxy System -- 6.6. Thermal Decomposition of Organically Modified Anionic Clay Filled Epoxy Nanocomposites -- 6.7. Thermal Decomposition of Silylated Apophyllite Filled Epoxy Nanocomposites -- 6.8. Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 7 POLYOLEFINS NANOCOMPOSITES THROUGH IN-SITU POLYMERIZATION APPROACH -- Abstract -- 7.1. Introduction -- 7.2. Polymerization -- 7.2.1. Types of Polymerization -- 7.2.1.1. Chain-Growth -- 7.2.1.2. Step-Growth -- 7.3. In-Situ Polymerization -- 7.3.1. Solution Polymerization -- 7.3.2. Sol-Gel Polymerization -- 7.3.3. High-Pressure Polymerization -- 7.3.4. Slurry Phase Polymerization -- 7.3.5. Gas Phase Polymerization -- 7.4. Catalysts -- 7.4.1. Types of Catalysts -- 7.4.1.1. Ziegler-Natta Catalysts -- Preparation of the Catalysts -- Mechanism and the Origin of Stereo Specificity -- Activity and Chain Termination -- Homogeneous Ziegler-Natta Catalysts -- Polymers Prepared by Ziegler-Natta Catalysts -- 7.4.1.2. Metallocene Catalysts -- Definition -- Physical Properties and Structures of Metallocenes -- Derivatives -- Mechanism of Metallocene Catalysts -- 7.4.1.3. Kaminsky Catalysts -- 7.5. Nanofillers -- 7.5.1. Nanosilica -- 7.5.2. Nanoclay -- 7.5.3. Carbon Nanotubes -- 7.5.4. Carbon Nanofibres -- 7.6. Interaction.

7.6.1. Particle-Particle Interaction - Aggregation -- 7.6.2. Matrix-Filler Interaction - Interfacial Adhesion -- 7.7. Nanofiller Reinforcement -- 7.7.1. Specific Effect of Nanofillers -- 7.7.2. Size Effect and High Specific Surface Area -- 7.7.3. Ability of Interactions/Reactions of the Nanofillers with the Medium -- 7.7.4. Structural Organization -- 7.8. Geometric Characteristics -- 7.9. Processing of Nano-Structured Composites -- 7.10. Polyolefin Nanocomposites through In-situ Polymerization -- 7.10.1. Polyethylene Nanosilica, Kaolin and Nanoclay Composites -- Preparation Strategies -- (i) Nanosilica Supported Zirconocene Catalyst -- (ii) MAO Treatment of Fillers -- (iii) Ethylene Polymerization -- Morphological Properties -- (i) FTIR Study -- (ii) WAXD Study -- Thermal Properties -- (i) TG Analysis -- (ii) DSC Analysis -- SEM Study -- Preparation Strategies -- Properties of the Nanocomposites -- 7.10.2. Polyethylene/Clay Nanocomposites Using Ziegler-Natta Catalyst -- Preparative Strategies -- (i) Activation of Palygorskite -- (ii) Polymerizations -- Properties of the Nanocomposites -- 7.10.3. Polyethylene/Carbon Nanotube Composites -- Preparation Strategies -- (i) Preparation of CNTs Supported Cp2ZrCl2 Catalyst -- (ii) Ethylene Polymerization -- Properties of the Nanocomposites -- 7.10.4. Polypropylene Nanosilica, Kaolin and Nanoclay Composites -- Propylene Polymerization -- Morphological Properties -- (i) FTIR Study -- (ii) WAXD Study -- Thermal Properties -- (i) TG Study -- (ii) DSC Study -- SEM Sudy -- 7.10.5.Polypropylene/Carbon Nanotubes Composites -- Preparation Srategies -- (i) Oxidation Process -- (ii) Pretreatment and Polymerization -- Properties of the Nanocomposites -- References -- Chapter 8 NANOCOMPOSITES USING POLYMERICALLY MODIFIED CLAY -- Abstract -- 8.1. Polymerically-Modified Clay.

8.1.1. Preparation of Polymerically-Modified Clays -- 8.1.1.1. Physical Adsorption Method -- 8.1.1.2. Ion Exchange Method -- 8.1.1.2.1. Cation Exchange Method -- A) Polymeric Quaternary Ammonium Salts -- B) Polymeric Quaternary Phosphonium Salts -- C) Other Polymeric Cationic Salts -- 8.1.1.2.2. Anionic Exchange Method -- 8.1.1.3. Chemical Grafting Method -- 8.1.2. Characterization of Polymerically-Modified Clays -- 8.1.2.1. Morphology -- 8.1.2.2. Thermal Analysis -- 8.2. Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites Prepared from Polymerically-Modified Clays -- 8.2.1. Preparation Methods for Polymerically-Modified Clay Nanocomposites -- 8.2.1.1. Solution Blending -- 8.2.1.2. Melt Blending -- 8.2.1.3. In-Situ Polymerization -- 8.2.2. Morphology of Polymerically-Modified Clay Nanocomposites -- 8.2.3. Properties of Clay Nanocomposite Prepared from Polymerically-Modified Clay -- 8.2.3.1. Rheology -- 8.2.3.2. Thermal Properties -- 8.2.3.3. Fire Properties -- 8.2.3.4. Mechanical Properties -- 8.3. Conclusions and Future Directions -- References -- Chapter 9 UNDERSTANDING CLAY SURFACE MODIFICATION AND ORGANIC-INORGANIC INTERFACES -- Abstract -- 9.1. Introduction to Clay Minerals -- 9.2. Structure and Surface Properties of Alkylammonium Modified Montmorillonite -- 9.3. Relationship between Packing Density, Segmental Tilt Angle and Thermal Transitions of Alkyl Chains Grafted to Inorganic Surfaces -- References -- Chapter 10 MODELING OF NANOCOMPOSITE PROPERTIES -- Abstract -- 10.1. Introduction -- 10.2. Modeling of Filler Aspect Ratio -- 10.3. Micro-mechanical Models for Modeling of Properties -- 10.4. Design of Experiment Methodology for Modeling of Properties -- References -- Chapter 11 RECENT RESULTS IN NANO-BIOCOMPOSITES BASED ON MONTMORILLONITES -- Abstract -- 11.1. Introduction -- 11.2. Biodegradable Polymers -- 11.2.1. Agro-Polymers -- 11.2.1.1. Starch.

11.2.1.1.1. Native Starch Structure.