Due to their characteristic properties, biodegradable nature and non-toxicity, clay-biopolymer based composites have many applications in such advanced fields as drug release, antimicrobial activities, wound healing, tissue engineering, wastewater treatment, food packaging and flame retardant materials. The book reviews fabrication, properties and applications of a great variety of these materials. Keywords: Clay-Polymer Composites, Nano Clay, Polysaccharide, Fibrous Clays, Halloysite-Chitosan, Montmorillonite-Chitosan, Kaolinite-Chitosan, Vermiculite Starch, Halloysite-Starch, Montmorillonite-Starch, Kaolinite-Starch, Cellulose. HNT-Cellulose, Kaolinite-Cellulose, Drug Release, Wound Healing, Tissue Engineering, Wastewater Treatment, Food Packaging, Flame Retardant Materials.

The book focuses on clay-based micro and nanocomposites with different synthetic polymers and presents their synthesis, characterization and testing. The fields of application of these materials include food packaging, rheological control agents, wastewater treatment, biomedical applications and drug delivery. Keywords: Synthetic Polymer Composites, Nanoclay-based Polymer Nanocomposites, Hectorite, Nontronite-Starch, Reinforcement of Thermoplastics, Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Sonochemical Synthesis, Drug Delivery, Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Flame Retardancy, Water Treatment.

This book is part of a two-volume book series that exhaustively reviews the key recent research into nanoclay reinforced polymer composites. This second volume focuses on nanoclay based nanocomposites and bionanocomposites fabrication, characterization and applications. This includes classification of nanoclay, chemical modification and processing techniques of nanocomposites. The book also provides comprehensive information about nanoclay modification and functionalization; modification of nanoclay systems, geological and mineralogical research on clays suitability; bio-nanocomposites based on nanoclays; modelling of mechanical behaviour of halloysite based composites; mechanical and thermal properties of halloysite nanocomposites; the effect of Nanoclays on gas barrier properties of polymers and modified nanocomposites. This book is a valuable reference guide for academics and industrial practitioners alike.

Due to their characteristic properties, biodegradable nature and non-toxicity, clay-biopolymer based composites have many applications in such advanced fields as drug release, antimicrobial activities, wound healing, tissue engineering, wastewater treatment, food packaging and flame retardant materials. The book reviews fabrication, properties and applications of a great variety of these materials. Keywords: Clay-Polymer Composites, Nano Clay, Polysaccharide, Fibrous Clays, Halloysite-Chitosan, Montmorillonite-Chitosan, Kaolinite-Chitosan, Vermiculite Starch, Halloysite-Starch, Montmorillonite-Starch, Kaolinite-Starch, Cellulose. HNT-Cellulose, Kaolinite-Cellulose, Drug Release, Wound Healing, Tissue Engineering, Wastewater Treatment, Food Packaging, Flame Retardant Materials.

There is a major lack of fundamental knowledge and understanding on the interaction between a filler and the polymer matrix. When it comes to nanoscale fillers, such as layered silicates, carbon nanotubes, graphene or cellulose nanofibers it is even more important to know accurate structure-property relationships as well as identifying the parameters influencing material behavior. The reason for the lack of knowledge on how to process nanocomposites and why there are so few applications is that several scientific fields are affected and a joint effort of those scientific communities involved is necessary – starting from the filler manufacturing or pre-processing over polymer chemistry to the polymer processing. In Polymer Nanoclay Composites, all involved scientific areas are viewed together for the first time, providing an all-embracing coverage of all stages of polymer clay nanocomposites processing from lab-scale to industrial scale – stages from the raw material over manufacturing of polymer clay nanocomposites to characterization and the final products. Readers will gain insight in the physical/chemical pre-processing of layered silicates and their incorporation into a polymer matrix using sophisticated technologies (such as advanced compounding) as well as in real-time quality control of the nanocomposite production and future prospects. The book also describes nanotoxicological and nanosafety aspects. - Covers the whole processing route with all aspects of the nanocomposites industry with particular focus on the processing of polymer clay nanocomposites - Includes quality control and nanosafety - Multidisciplinary approach from an industrial perspective

Polymer-clay nanocomposites are formed through the union of two very different materials with organic and mineral pedigrees. The hybrid compositions, however, exhibit large increases in tensile strength, modulus, and heat distortion temperature as compared with the pristine polymer. The composites also have lower water sensitivity, reduced permeability to gases, and a similar thermal coefficient of expansion. All of these property improvements can be realized without a loss of clarity in the polymer. Further, it has been found that nanocomposites impart a level of flame retardance and UV resistance not present in the pure polymer. These improvements in performance properties at relatively low clay loading (typically 2 -10wt %) have stimulated intensive research in both industry and academia over the past decade. Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites presents the first comprehensive overview of the state of the art of these materials since they were first reported a decade ago. Covering both the theory and practical applications, this volume in the 'Wiley Series in Polymer Science' covers the key aspects of these important materials including: * Polymer-clay intercalates * The preparation and general properties of special practical and commercial significance (including strength, stiffness, toughness, permeability, fire retardation and chemical stability) * The elucidation of the structural and rheological factors influencing performance and processing properties Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites is an indispensable text for polymer scientists, composites formulators, materials engineers, resin producers, filters and additive producers as well as university lecturers, and organic and inorganic chemists working in this important and fascinating area.

This book describes the advantages and disadvantages and characterization techniques of clay-composites for environmental applications. It examines the structure and chemistry of different types of clay-composites and their synthesis, characteristics and applications in detail with a special focus on upscaling and limitations. Various topics covered in this book include overview of clay composites and their environmental applications, clay-biochar composites, clay-surfactants composites, organo-clay composites, clay hybrids and enriched clay composites. This book will be useful for beginners, researchers, material scientists and engineers who are interested in applied research of clay-based composites.