Crystallinity and Crystallization Kinetics in Poly(Ethylene Oxide)/Layered Silicate Nanocomposites

Polymer materials are often filled with inorganic compounds in order to improve their properties [. The optimization of the properties is mostly achieved when the dimensions of the additive is in the nanometer range, producing a nano composite. Of particular interest among different organic / inorganic nanohybrids are polymer / layered silicate nanocomposites, which constitute a relatively new class of materials that has attracted growing scientific and technological interest due to the unique improvement of properties like strength, stiffness, scratch resistance, thermal and oxidative stability, gas permeability, flammability and biodegradability. These improved properties make them candidates for a number of potential applications in many industrial sectors like, for example, automotive, aerospace, electronics and biotechnology.