POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITE FORMATION BY EMULSION SYNTHESIS

摘要

The present invention relates to a latex comprising water and a layered material intercalated with a polymer. The invention also relates to a nanocomposite material comprising a layered material intercalated with a polymer. The latex can be produced by forming a dispersion of layered material in water, adding surfactant, polymerizable monomer or monomers, and a polymerization initiator to the mixture and then polymerizing the monomer to form a latex. The latex can also be formed from preformed polymers. Composite materials formed from latexes produced by either method have improved mechanical properties and reduced air permeability.