A Review on Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites and Models Governing Their Permeability

Specific characteristics of nanocomposite materials, as a most applicable class of materials in the field of nanotechnology, are due to the presence of nanosclae particles in their structures. The types of filler nanoparticles and the polymeric matrix of the nanocomposites are two important parameters affecting the properties of the nanocomposites, specially their permeability. In this article, polymer-clay nanocomposites were reviewed in brief and models governing the permeability of this kind of nanocomposites summarized. Furthermore, the effects of the characteristics of the clay nanoparticles on the permeability of the polymer-clay nanocomposites have been investigated on the basis of the mathematical models. The models show that the impermeability in polymer-clay nanocomposites could be achieved by maximizing the aspect ratios of nanoparticles, creating a perpendicular orientation of clay layers with respect to the diffusion path, enhancing the interaction between the nanoparticles and polymeric matrix and increasing the volume fraction of the nanoparticles.