The Thermal and Electrical Properties of a Polymer Nanocomposite incorporating an Organically-Modified MMT Clay

Blending polymers together with the incorporation of clay allows the tuning of known materials to achieve different
properties. The technique is often seen as a quicker and cheaper route than developing new polymers. Nanocomposites,
polymers blended with a filler that has at least one dimension less than 100 nm, present different properties to their
micro counterparts due to the significantly increased interfacial surface area when moving from the micro to the nano
scale. The mechanical and thermal properties have particularly been intensively studied. A significant concern in
any such study is achieving sufficient filler dispersion to form the nanocomposite and not the microcomposite, often
achieved by the use of a compatibiliser.