1;Preface;62;Table of Content;83;1 Introduction;143.1;1.1 Polymer Nanocomposites;143.2;1.2 Commercial Potential;153.3;1.3 Book Structure;163.4;1.4 References;174;2 Preparation and Synthesis;184.1;2.1 Polymer Nanocomposites;184.1.1;2.1.1 Morphology of Polymer-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites;194.1.2;2.1.2 Structure of Layered Silicates;204.1.3;2.1.3 Organically Modified Clay;224.1.4;2.1.4 Formation of Polymer Nanocomposites;234.1.5;2.1.5 Effect of Cation Exchange Capacity on Organoclay;244.1.6;2.1.6 Effect of Organic Cation Structure on Organoclay;254.2;2.2 Nanocomposites - Preparation and Synthesis;254.2.1;2.2.1 Solution Dispersion;264.2.2;2.2.2 In-Situ Polymerization;284.2.3;2.2.3 Melt Intercalation;294.2.4;2.2.4 Effect of Mixing;334.3;2.3 Polymer Matrices: Thermoplastics, Thermosets, Elastomers, Natural, and Biodegradable Polymers;354.3.1;2.3.1 Thermoplastics;364.3.2;2.3.2 Elastomers;404.3.3;2.3.3 Thermosets;414.3.4;2.3.4 Natural and Biodegradable Polymers;424.4;References;435;3 Fundamental Issues in Nanocomposite Synthesis;485.1;3.1 Introduction;485.2;3.2 Thermodynamics and Interactions;495.2.1;3.2.1 General Thermodynamic Relationships;495.2.2;3.2.2 Multi-Component Systems;515.2.3;3.2.3 Surface Free Energy;565.2.4;3.2.4 Types of Interfacial Interactions;585.3;3.3 Models of Nanocomposites at Equilibrium;665.3.1;3.3.1 Introduction;665.3.2;3.3.2 Mean-Field, Lattice-Based Model;685.3.3;3.3.3 Self-Consistent Field Approach (SFC);735.3.4;3.3.4 Density Functional Theory (DFT);825.4;3.4 Mixing in Nanocomposite Synthesis;875.4.1;3.4.1 Distributive Mixing;875.4.2;3.4.2 Mixing Quality in Nanocomposites;885.5;3.5 Mechanics of Particle Separation and Agglomerate Dispersion;955.5.1;3.5.1 Separation of Spherical Particles;965.5.2;3.5.2 Separation of Platelets;985.5.3;3.5.3 Peeling and Lap Shearing Models;1065.5.4;3.5.4 Rupture and Erosion;1095.6;3.6 Mechanism and Kinetics of Polymer Melt Intercalation;1135.6.1;3.6.1 Intercalation Mechanism;1145.6.2;3.6.2 Intercalation Kinetics;1175.7;3.7 Crystallization of Polymers in Nanocomposites;1225.7.1;3.7.1 Crystallization of Polymers;1225.7.2;3.7.2 Crystalline Structure and Morphology;1235.7.3;3.7.3 Crystallization Kinetics;1265.7.4;3.7.4 The Crystalline Structure of PA-6;1325.7.5;3.7.5 Polymer Crystallization in Nanocomposites;1335.7.6;3.7.6 Morphological Effects;1425.8;3.8 References;1456;4 Rheology of Nanocomposites;1586.1;4.1 Rheology of Multiphase Systems;1586.2;4.2 Rheology of Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites;1596.3;4.3 Recent Studies on Rheology;1596.4;4.4 Measurement Techniques;1606.4.1;4.4.1 Steady Shear Measurements;1606.4.2;4.4.2 Dynamic Shear Measurements;1616.4.3;4.4.3 Extensional Rheology Measurements;1636.4.4;4.4.4 Measured Parameters;1666.5;4.5 Steady Shear Rheology;1676.5.1;4.5.1 Steady Shear Rheology of Nanocomposites;1676.5.2;4.5.2 Shear Thinning Behavior;1686.5.3;4.5.3 Normal Stress Behavior;1696.6;4.6 Dynamic Rheology;1706.6.1;4.6.1 Dynamic Rheology of Nanocomposites;1726.6.2;4.6.2 Percolation Threshold;1746.6.3;4.6.3 Time-Temperature Superposition;1796.6.4;4.6.4 Cox-Merz Rule;1816.7;4.7 Non Linear Viscoelastic Properties;1816.8;4.8 Extensional Rheology;1836.8.1;4.8.1 Fundamentals;1836.8.2;4.8.2 Extensional Rheology of Nanocomposites;1856.8.3;4.8.3 Drawing of Molten Monofilament after Extrusion;1866.9;4.9 Rheological Modeling of Nanocomposites;1896.9.1;4.9.1 Steady Shear Models;1906.9.2;4.9.2 Viscoelastic Models;1966.9.3;4.9.3 Extensional Rheology;2196.10;4.10 Summary;2256.11;References;2377;5 Processing of Nanocomposites;2467.1;5.1 Introduction;2467.2;5.1 Extrusion;2477.2.1;5.1.1 Dispersion of Clay;2487.2.2;5.1.2 Effect of Extruder Types;2537.2.3;5.1.3 Effect of Processing Conditions;2587.3;5.2 Injection Molding;2587.3.1;5.2.1 Structural Hierarchy;2597.3.2;5.2.2 Barrier and Mechanical Properties for Injection Molded Products;2647.3.3;5.2.3 Microcellular Injection Molding;2657.4;5.3 Blow

1;Preface;6
2;Table of Content;8
3;1 Introduction;14
3.1;1.1 Polymer Nanocomposites;14
3.2;1.2 Commercial Potential;15
3.3;1.3 Book Structure;16
3.4;1.4 References;17
4;2 Preparation and Synthesis;18
4.1;2.1 Polymer Nanocomposites;18
4.1.1;2.1.1 Morphology of Polymer-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites;19
4.1.2;2.1.2 Structure of Layered Silicates;20
4.1.3;2.1.3 Organically Modified Clay;22
4.1.4;2.1.4 Formation of Polymer Nanocomposites;23
4.1.5;2.1.5 Effect of Cation Exchange Capacity on Organoclay;24
4.1.6;2.1.6 Effect of Organic Cation Structure on Organoclay;25
4.2;2.2 Nanocomposites - Preparation and Synthesis;25
4.2.1;2.2.1 Solution Dispersion;26
4.2.2;2.2.2 In-Situ Polymerization;28
4.2.3;2.2.3 Melt Intercalation;29
4.2.4;2.2.4 Effect of Mixing;33
4.3;2.3 Polymer Matrices: Thermoplastics, Thermosets, Elastomers, Natural, and Biodegradable Polymers;35
4.3.1;2.3.1 Thermoplastics;36
4.3.2;2.3.2 Elastomers;40
4.3.3;2.3.3 Thermosets;41
4.3.4;2.3.4 Natural and Biodegradable Polymers;42
4.4;References;43
5;3 Fundamental Issues in Nanocomposite Synthesis;48
5.1;3.1 Introduction;48
5.2;3.2 Thermodynamics and Interactions;49
5.2.1;3.2.1 General Thermodynamic Relationships;49
5.2.2;3.2.2 Multi-Component Systems;51
5.2.3;3.2.3 Surface Free Energy;56
5.2.4;3.2.4 Types of Interfacial Interactions;58
5.3;3.3 Models of Nanocomposites at Equilibrium;66
5.3.1;3.3.1 Introduction;66
5.3.2;3.3.2 Mean-Field, Lattice-Based Model;68
5.3.3;3.3.3 Self-Consistent Field Approach (SFC);73
5.3.4;3.3.4 Density Functional Theory (DFT);82
5.4;3.4 Mixing in Nanocomposite Synthesis;87
5.4.1;3.4.1 Distributive Mixing;87
5.4.2;3.4.2 Mixing Quality in Nanocomposites;88
5.5;3.5 Mechanics of Particle Separation and Agglomerate Dispersion;95
5.5.1;3.5.1 Separation of Spherical Particles;96
5.5.2;3.5.2 Separation of Platelets;98
5.5.3;3.5.3 Peeling and Lap Shearing Models;106
5.5.4;3.5.4 Rupture and Erosion;109
5.6;3.6 Mechanism and Kinetics of Polymer Melt Intercalation;113
5.6.1;3.6.1 Intercalation Mechanism;114
5.6.2;3.6.2 Intercalation Kinetics;117
5.7;3.7 Crystallization of Polymers in Nanocomposites;122
5.7.1;3.7.1 Crystallization of Polymers;122
5.7.2;3.7.2 Crystalline Structure and Morphology;123
5.7.3;3.7.3 Crystallization Kinetics;126
5.7.4;3.7.4 The Crystalline Structure of PA-6;132
5.7.5;3.7.5 Polymer Crystallization in Nanocomposites;133
5.7.6;3.7.6 Morphological Effects;142
5.8;3.8 References;145
6;4 Rheology of Nanocomposites;158
6.1;4.1 Rheology of Multiphase Systems;158
6.2;4.2 Rheology of Polymer/Clay Nanocomposites;159
6.3;4.3 Recent Studies on Rheology;159
6.4;4.4 Measurement Techniques;160
6.4.1;4.4.1 Steady Shear Measurements;160
6.4.2;4.4.2 Dynamic Shear Measurements;161
6.4.3;4.4.3 Extensional Rheology Measurements;163
6.4.4;4.4.4 Measured Parameters;166
6.5;4.5 Steady Shear Rheology;167
6.5.1;4.5.1 Steady Shear Rheology of Nanocomposites;167
6.5.2;4.5.2 Shear Thinning Behavior;168
6.5.3;4.5.3 Normal Stress Behavior;169
6.6;4.6 Dynamic Rheology;170
6.6.1;4.6.1 Dynamic Rheology of Nanocomposites;172
6.6.2;4.6.2 Percolation Threshold;174
6.6.3;4.6.3 Time-Temperature Superposition;179
6.6.4;4.6.4 Cox-Merz Rule;181
6.7;4.7 Non Linear Viscoelastic Properties;181
6.8;4.8 Extensional Rheology;183
6.8.1;4.8.1 Fundamentals;1836.8.2;4.8.2 Extensional Rheology of Nanocomposites;185
6.8.3;4.8.3 Drawing of Molten Monofilament after Extrusion;186
6.9;4.9 Rheological Modeling of Nanocomposites;189
6.9.1;4.9.1 Steady Shear Models;190
6.9.2;4.9.2 Viscoelastic Models;196
6.9.3;4.9.3 Extensional Rheology;219
6.10;4.10 Summary;225
6.11;References;237
7;5 Processing of Nanocomposites;246
7.1;5.1 Introduction;246
7.2;5.1 Extrusion;247
7.2.1;5.1.1 Dispersion of Clay;248
7.2.2;5.1.2 Effect of Extruder Types;253
7.2.3;5.1.3 Effect of Processing Conditions;258
7.3;5.2 Injection Molding;258
7.3.1;5.2.1 Structural Hierarchy;259
7.3.2;5.2.2 Barrier and Mechanical Properties for