Abstract
Natural clays are composed of oxide layers whose thickness is about 1nm and cations existing between the layers. A number of these layers makes primary particles with a height of about 8∼10nm and these primary particles make aggregates with a size of about 0.1∼10$\mu\textrm{m}$. When layered silicate was made to be organophilic, by exchanging the interlayer cations with organic cationic molecules, the matrix polymer can penetrate between the layers to give a nanocomposite, where 1nm-scal clay layers exist separately in a continuous polymer matrix. These nanostructured hybrid organic-inorganic composites have attracted the great interest of researchers over the last 10 years. They exhibit improved performance properties compared with conventional composites, because their unique phase morphology by layer intercalation or exfoliation maximizes interfacial contact between the organic and inorganic phases and enhances interfacial properties. Since the advent of nylon-6/montmorillonite nanocomposite developed by Toyota Motor Co., the studies on layered silicate-polymer nanocomposites have been successfully extended to other polymer systems. They greatly improved the thermal, mechanical, barrier, and even the flame-retardant properties of the polymers.