Polymer-Clay (Nano)Composites
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Processing and Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2018) | Viewed by 71646
Special Issue Editor
Interests: polymerization kinetics; thermal degradation kinetics; modeling of radical and step polymerization reactions; polymer nanocomposites; calorimetry; polymer recycling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Research interest on polymer clay nanocomposites has emerged over the last thirty years, when it was realized that only a few wt.-% of silicate dispersed in a polymer matrix could result in novel materials with superior properties compared to those of pristine polymers. The number of papers has rapidly increased during the last few years, reaching more than 500 per year. Several polymers including, polypropylene, polyethylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate), epoxies, etc., have been used in the formation of nanocomposites with different types of clays using a number of fabrication techniques.
This Special Issue invites original papers and reviews reporting on recent progress in the following areas:
- Techniques for producing uniform and homogeneously dispersed clays in the polymer matrix
- Properties of polymer–clay nanocomposites (chemical, mechanical, thermal, gas barrier, flame retardant, etc.).
- Chemical modifications of clays for improving dispersion and compatibility with polymer matrixes.
- In situ polymerization kinetics
- Polymerization techniques for the synthesis of polymer-clay nanocomposites, including bulk, emulsion, suspension, etc.
- Effect of clay on the crystallization kinetics of the polymer.
- Effect of clay on the thermal degradation kinetics of the polymer.
- Phase behavior of polymer−clay composites
- Different types of polymers employed, from thermoplastics with high and low glass transition temperature, to thermosettings and elastomers.
- Different types of clays used, either natural or organo-modified.
- Modeling the polymerization reaction
- Modeling properties and/or the mechanical behavior of polymer–clay composites
- Antimicrobial activity of polymer–clay nancomposites.
- Applications of polymer–clay nanocomposites.
Prof. Dimitris S. Achilias
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- nanocomposites
- clays
- thermal properties
- mechanical properties
- in situ polymerization
- kinetics
- phase behavior
- antimicrobial properties
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