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The relentless quest for higher performance polymer has produced a new class of material, that is, polymer layered silicate nanocomposites (P
LSN). PLSN are lightweight and feature outstanding mechanical properties and barrier properties. In addition, they are excellent models for s
tudying polymer behavior under confined environment. The primary motivation of my research is to explore and understand structure-property-p
rocessing properties of polymers reinforced with highly anisotropic disk-like nanometer-sized layered silicates such as montmorillonite. The
se organically modified clay sheets are effectively dispersed in the host polymer matrices via solution mixing, melt intercalation or in-situ
polymerization, etc. so as to achieve property enhancements over conventional composites and pure polymers. Our approach is to use experime
ntal techniques such as SAXS, WAXS, XRD, TEM and rheometry for probing the dispersion of clay sheets and morphological development in the pol
ymer nanocomposites. Current research thrust focuses on commodity polymers such as polyolefin, polystyrene, polycaprolactone and styrenic pla
stic
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