Synthesis and antifungal activities of polymer/montmorillonite–terbinafine hydrochloride nanocomposite films

The poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/montmorillonite–terbinafine hydrochloride (PDMS/OMMT) nanocomposite films were obtained by solution intercalation. Organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) with antifungal activity was prepared from Na⁺-montmorillonite (Na⁺-MMT) and terbinafine hydrochloride (Ter-HCl) by ion exchange. The microstructure of these nanocomposite films were characterized by TEM and XRD. The effect of OMMT on the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the nanocomposites was investigated. When the OMMT content was < 1 mass %, the nanocomposites showed excellent mechanical properties. The polymers were tested for antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The PDMS/OMMT nanocomposite films strongly inhibited the C. albicans.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of polymer/montmorillonite–chlorhexidine acetate nanocomposite films

The PDMS/montmorillonite–chlorhexidine acetate (PDMS/OMMT) nanocomposite films were successfully obtained by intercalation from solution. Organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) with antibacterial activity was prepared from Na⁺-montmorillonite (Na⁺-MMT) and chlorhexidine acetate (CA) by ion exchange. The microstructure of these nanocomposite films were characterized by TEM and XRD. The effect of OMMT on mechanical properties and thermal stability of the nanocomposites was investigated. When the OMMT content was lower than 0.5 mass %, the nanocomposites showed excellent mechanical properties. The polymers were tested for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The PDMS/OMMT nanocomposite films strongly inhibited the growth of a wide variety of microorganisms, including Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria.     

Fumed SiO2 nanoparticle reinforced biopolymer blend nanocomposites with high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss for flexible organic electronics

In the present study, fumed silica (SiO₂) nanoparticle reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) blend nanocomposite films were prepared via a simple solution‐blending technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to elucidate the successful incorporation of SiO₂ nanoparticles in the PVA/PVP blend matrix. A thermogravimetric analyzer was used to evaluate the thermal stability of the nanocomposites. The dielectric properties such as dielectric constant (?) and dielectric loss (tan δ) of the PVA/PVP/SiO₂ nanocomposite films were evaluated in the broadband frequency range of 10^?2 Hz to 20 MHz and for temperatures in the range 40–150 °C. The FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopy results implied the presence of hydrogen bonding interaction between SiO₂ and the PVA/PVP blend matrix. The XRD and SEM results revealed that SiO₂ nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the PVA/PVP blend matrix. The dielectric property analysis revealed that the dielectric constant values of the nanocomposites are higher than those of PVA/PVP blends. The maximum dielectric constant and the dielectric loss were 125 (10^?2 Hz, 150 °C) and 1.1 (10^?2 Hz, 70 °C), respectively, for PVA/PVP/SiO₂ nanocomposites with 25 wt % SiO₂ content. These results enable the preparation of dielectric nanocomposites using a facile solution‐casting method that exhibit the desirable dielectric performance for flexible organic electronics. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44427.     

Plasticized and nanofilled poly(lactic acid)‐based cast films: Effect of plasticizer and organoclay on processability and final properties

PLA‐based nanocomposites filled with the commercial organomodified montmorillonite Dellite 43B (D43B) and containing acetyl tri‐n‐butyl citrate (ATBC) as plasticizer were prepared by extrusion in a pilot‐scale twin‐screw extruder and melt casted into flexible films. A preliminary investigation was carried out in a laboratory batch mixer by varying blending conditions and addition procedures of the components. Indeed, the method of addition of ATBC and D43B considerably affected thermo‐mechanical properties and morphology of the resultant nanocomposites. The simultaneous introduction of both ATBC and D43B during the extrusion process allowed producing clearly exfoliated nanocomposite materials with modulated mechanical and thermal properties. Moreover, rheological results, obtained during melt extrusion, assessed the processability of nanofilled‐plasticized PLA, making this simple procedure interesting in view of the industrial production of nanostructured biomaterials based on plasticized PLA. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2013     

Comparative study of gamma and ion beam irradiation of polymeric nanocomposite on electrical conductivity

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was used to prepare nanocomposites of multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and functionalized carbon nanotubes (MWCNT‐NH₂) in existence of 2‐carboxyethyl acrylate oligomers (CEA). Radiation‐induced crosslinking of the prepared matrix was carried out via gamma and ion beam irradiation. A comparative study of gamma and ion beam irradiation effect on the electrical conductivity of nanocomposite was conducted. The gelation of the gamma irradiated matrix outperforms the ion beam irradiated matrix. The order of gelation is PVA > (PVA/CEA) > (PVA/CEA)‐MWCNT > (PVA/CEA)‐MWCNT‐NH₂. There is a significant reduction in the swelling of the nanocomposite. The formation of nanocomposites was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) and FTIR examinations. The direct current electrical properties of PVA/nanocomposites are examined at room temperature by applying electric voltage from 1 to 20 V. The results revealed that the electrical conductivity is increased by adding the carbon nanotubes and irradiation by gamma and ion beam. At an applied electric voltage 20 V, in the electrical conductivity of the unirradiated PVA was from 9.20 × 10^?8 S cm^?1. After adding MWCNT an increase up to 4.70 × 10^?5 S cm^?1 was observed. While after ion beam irradiation, a further increase up to 9.30 × 10^?5 S cm^?1 was noticed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46146.     

Synergistic effect of α‐ZrP and graphene oxide nanofillers on the gas barrier properties of PVA films

Two types of 2D nanofillers, α‐zirconium phosphate (α‐ZrP) and graphene oxide (GO), were synthesized and incorporated into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with 1 wt % loading level at various α‐ZrP:GO (Z:G = 5:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:5) ratios. The resulting nanocomposites were tested for barrier properties by casting films from solution. The structure and morphology of α‐ZrP and GO were characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction, which demonstrated successful preparation of exfoliated α‐ZrP and GO. The physical characteristics of the nanocomposite films, including thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties were investigated. The results indicated that the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and elongation at break of the PVA nanocomposite films with Z:G hybrid nanofiller improved compared to neat PVA. The glass transition temperature, melting temperature, and crystallinity also increased. Consequently there appears to be a synergistic effect with these two types of nanofillers that formed a specific macro structure of a “wall.” This macrostructure resulted in excellent O₂ gas barrier properties with the PVA/Z:G‐5:1 nanocomposite films having the best performance. The of the PVA/Z:G‐5:1 nanocomposite decreased from 1.835 × 10^?16 to 0.587 × 10^?16 cm³ cm cm^?2 s^?1 Pa^?1 compared with neat PVA. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46455.     

蒙脱石有机化对PVA/蒙脱石复合薄膜的性能影响

以精制钠基蒙脱石(Na-MMT)、有机化蒙脱石(OMMT)和聚乙烯醇(PVA)为原料,通过水溶液插层-流延成膜法制备纳米复合薄膜。通过X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和热重分析(TGA)对复合材料的结构和性能进行表征,重点探讨蒙脱石有机化对PVA/MMT复合薄膜性能的影响。结果表明Na-MMT和OMMT纳米颗粒在PVA基体中均得到了良好分散;有机改性剂的存在促使PVA/MMT复合薄膜的MMT片层间距扩撑更大,但由于其与PVA相容性较差,导致有效插入MMT片层间的PVA分子较少,PVA/MMT复合薄膜的热稳定性改善效果不明显。     

Removal of Congo red from aqueous solution using a chitosan/organo‐ montmorillonite nanocomposite

To further improve the adsorption capacity of chitosan (CTS), a series of novel chitosan/organo‐montmorillonite nanocomposites (CTS/OMMT) were synthesized and the adsorption abilities for Congo red (CR) investigated in this study. The nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the results indicated that an exfoliated nanostructure was formed in CTS/OMMT nanocomposites. Compared with the adsorption capacity of OMMT (192.4 mg g^?1), CTS/OMMT with an amount of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide equal to 0.75 CEC of MMT and molar ratio of CTS to OMMT of 1:10 exhibited the higher adsorption capacity (290.8 mg g^?1). The adsorption behaviours of OMMT and CTS/OMMT showed that the adsorption kinetics and isotherms were in good agreement with a pseudo‐second‐order equation and the Langmuir equation, respectively. The IR spectra revealed that a chemical interaction occurred between CTS/OMMT and CR. The adsorption capacity of CTS/OMMT nanocomposite was higher than that of other absorbents; this study suggested that the CTS/OMMT nanocomposite could be used as an adsorbent to remove CR dye from aqueous solution. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Electromagnetic interference shielding properties of graphene quantum-dots reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol)/polypyrrole blend nanocomposites

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/polypyrrole (WPPy) nanocomposite films with various GQDs loadings were synthesized using the versatile solvent casting method. The structural and morphological properties of PVA/WPPy/GQDs nanocomposite films were investigated by employing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The thermogravimetric analysis revealed enhanced thermal stability of synthesized nanocomposites while enhanced dielectric properties were also observed. The maximum dielectric constant value for PVA/WPPy/GQDs nanocomposite films was observed to be ε = 6,311.85 (50 Hz, 150°C). The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of nanocomposite films was determined in the X-band (8–12 GHz) and Ku-band (12–18 GHz) frequency region. The EMI SE was found to be increased from 0.8 dB for the pure PVA film to 9.8 dB for the PVA/WPPy/GQDs nanocomposite film containing 10 wt% GQDs loading. The enhanced EMI shielding efficiency of nanocomposite films has resulted from the homogenous dispersion of GQDs in PVA/WPPy blend nanocomposites. Thus, the prepared nanocomposites are envisioned to utilize as a lightweight, flexible, and low-cost material for EMI shielding applications.     

Development of nanocomposites based on organically modified montmorillonite and plasticized PVC with improved barrier properties

Montmorillonite (MMT) was organically modified with tributyl citrate (TBC). Organoclays (OMMTs) were processed with diisononyl phthalate (DINP)‐plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to form polymer nanocomposites. The produced composite materials showed a contradictory change in properties to that expected of a layered silicate nanocomposite, with a decreased E‐modulus and increased gas permeability compared with a material without OMMT. It was experimentally shown that the TBC modifier was extracted from the OMMT and was dispersed in the PVC/DINP matrix, whereupon the OMMT collapsed and formed micrometer‐sized agglomerates. Further investigation revealed that TBC has a significant effect on the gas permeability and the E‐modulus, even at low additions to a DINP‐plasticized PVC. A PVC nanocomposite with the TBC acting as both the OM for MMT and as the primary plasticizer was produced. This material showed a significantly increased E‐modulus as well as a decrease in gas permeability, confirming that it is possible to develop a nanocomposite based on plasticized PVC, if both the organo‐modification of the MMT and the formulation of the matrix are carefully selected. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42876.     

Freestanding Ag2S/CuS PVA films with improved dielectric properties for organic electronics

The prime goal of this work is to synthesize free‐standing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films doped with Ag₂S, CuS, Ag₂S/CuS alloy, and Ag₂S/CuS nanocomposites through the sol–gel route. The dependence of Ag₂S content in the PVA nanocomposite films on both the real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivity and loss tangent values was examined. An enhanced dielectric constant was achieved with minimum dielectric loss due to the insulating silica layer. By changing the Ag₂S content in Ag₂S/CuS PVA films, the AC conductivity is improved with pure Ag₂S nanoparticles exhibiting highest values of the order of 10^?6?10^?9 S/cm. The Cole–Cole parameters were calculated and the semicircles observed in the plots indicate a single relaxation process. The results suggest that these composite films are potential materials for embedded capacitor applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43568.     

Fabrication and characterization of electrospun fibrous nanocomposite scaffolds based on poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide)/poly(vinyl alcohol) blends

Tissue engineering involves the fabrication of three‐dimensional scaffolds to support cellular in‐growth and proliferation. Ideally, the scaffolds should be similar to the native extracellular matrix (ECM). Electrospun polymer nanofibrous scaffolds are appropriate candidates for ECM mimetic materials since they mimic the nanoscale properties of ECM. Electrospun polymer nanocomposites based on poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) were prepared by a solution intercalation technique followed by electrospinning. The morphology of fibrous scaffolds based on these nanocomposites was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The scaffolds showed highly porous structure within the nanofibres of diameters ranging from 400 to 700 nm. X‐ray diffractometry gave evidence of good dispersion of the OMMT in the blends with exfoliated morphology. Measurements of the water uptake and water contact angle of the fibrous scaffolds indicated significant improvement in the hydrophilicity of the scaffolds. Evaluations of the mechanical properties and unrestricted somatic stem cell culture of the electrospun fibrous nanocomposite scaffolds revealed that the PLGA90/PVA10/1.5% OMMT and PLGA90/PVA10/3% OMMT samples are the most useful from the tissue engineering application viewpoint. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of functionalized SWCNTs on microstructure of PP‐g‐MA/OMMT/f‐SWCNTs nanocomposite

The aim of this work was to study the effect of functionalized single‐walled carbon nanotubes (f‐SWCNTs) on the microstructure of PP‐g‐MA/organic modified montmorillonite (OMMT)/f‐SWCNTs ternary nanocomposite. Pristine SWCNTs were chemically modified by maleic anhydride to improve the interaction between PP‐g‐MA and nanotubes. The dispersion states of OMMT in the different nanocomposites were investigated by wide angle X‐ray diffraction. The morphologies of the nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Crystallization behaviors of nanocomposites were studied through differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. Different than the PP‐g‐MA/OMMT binary nanocomposite, in which the OMMT is mainly in an exfoliated state, the ternary PP‐g‐MA/OMMT/f‐SWCNTs nanocomposite exhibits mostly intercalated OMMT. Furthermore, in the ternary nanocomposite, the crystallization of polymer is mainly induced by f‐SWCNTs rather than by OMMT. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Morphological,barrier, and mechanical properties of cassava starch films reinforced with cellulose and starch nanoparticles

A comparative performance study of cellulose and starch nanoparticles on plasticized starch reinforcement has been presented. Starch nanoparticles were obtained by ultrasound and acid hydrolysis, and cellulose nanoparticles were extracted by acid hydrolysis from microcrystalline cellulose and sisal fibers. The nanoparticles were characterized according to the zeta potential, the particle-size distribution, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The influence of the addition of these nanoparticles to starch films on the morphology, water vapor permeability (WVP), and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites films were investigated. The cellulose nanoparticles exhibited higher electrical stability than those originating from starch. Acid hydrolysis produced starch nanoparticles with higher crystallinity than ultrasound. All the nanoparticles significantly reduced the WVP. The cellulose nanoparticles significantly increased the tensile strength of the starch films; however, they reduced the flexibility of the nanocomposites. The results of this work support the application of starch and cellulose nanostructures for the development of reinforced biodegradable materials. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47001.     

Polypropylene nanocomposites prepared with natural and ODTABr‐modified montmorillonite

In this study, the main goal is to obtain montmorillonite nanocomposites of polypropylene (PP). To achieve this goal, a two‐phase study was performed. In the first part of the work, organomodified clay (OMMT) was synthesized and characterized. Octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (ODTABr) cationic surfactant was added to the clay (Na‐activated montmorillonite, MMT) dispersions in different concentrations in the range of 5 × 10^?5–1 × 10^?2 mol/L. Rheologic, electrokinetic, and spectral analyses indicated that ODTABr has interacted with MMT at optimum conditions when the concentration was 1 × 10^?2 mol/L. In the second part, modified (OMMT) and unmodified (MMT) montmorillonite were used to obtain PP nanocomposites (OMMT/PP and MMT/PP, respectively). The nanocomposites were prepared by melt intercalation where the montmorillonite contents were 1 or 5% (w/w) for each case. The thermal analyses showed that the thermal properties of OMMT/PP nanocomposites were better than MMT/PP, and both of them were also better than pure polymer. Increase in the concentration of MMT (or OMMT) decreased the thermal resistance. Based on the IR absorption intensity changes of regularity and conformational bands, it is found that the content of the helical structure of macromolecular chains has increased with increasing concentrations of both MMT and OMMT in the nanocomposites. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Nanocomposites from plasticized high‐amylopectin,normal and high‐amylose maize starches

Three types of maize starch with different amounts of amylose and amylopectin were used to prepare plasticized starch/clay nanocomposite films by casting. Studies by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the intercalation/exfoliation of the plasticized starch molecules took place into the clay galleries for the three types of starch. However, the plasticized waxy starch molecules were the easiest of them all to be intercalated/exfoliated, which was reflected in the highest increment of the stress at peak of these nanocomposites. Moreover, the lowest water uptake was showed by the plasticized high‐amylose starch/clay nanocomposites. It was concluded that varying contents of amylose and amylopectin influenced the formation of intercalated/exfoliated clay structures and also affected the interactions of clay with water. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Development and compatibility assessment of new composite film based on sugar beet pulp and polyvinyl alcohol intended for packaging applications

In this study, interaction and compatibility between sugar‐beet pulp (SBP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in blend films was assessed. Film‐forming dispersions of different ratios of SBP to PVA (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, and 25/75) were cast at room temperature. The effects of adding PVA to SBP on the resulting film's physical, mechanical and barrier properties and thermal stability were investigated. X‐ray diffraction and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the composites. When PVA was also added to the composite films, the films became softer, less rigid and more stretchable than pure SBP films. The addition of PVA gave significantly greater elongation at break (12.45%) and lower water vapor permeability (1.55 × 10^?10 g s^?1 m^?1 Pa^?1), but tensile strength did not markedly change, remaining around 59.68 MPa. Thermogravimetric analysis also showed that SBP/PVA film had better thermal stability than SBP film. The ESEM results showed that the compatibility of SBP50/PVA50 was better than those of other composite films. These results suggest that when taking all the studied variables into account, composite films formulated with 50% PVA are most suitable for various packaging applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41354.     

Radiation Preparation of Conducting Nanocomposite Membrane Based on (Copper/Polyacrylic Acid/Poly Vinyl Alcohol) for Rapid Colorimetric Sensor of Mercury and Silver Ions

In this study, poly acrylic acid/poly vinyl alcohol capped copper as nanocomposite membrane Cu–(PAAc/PVA) has been prepared using gamma radiation. Aqueous solution of 0.2 mol Cu²⁺ ions chemically reduction using ascorbic acid and PAAc/PVA as stabilizer. Cu²⁺ ions could be deposited uniformly on the matrix network of PAAc/PVA membrane. The resulting Cu–(PAAc/PVA) nanocomposites membrane exhibited rapid colorimetric detection of mercury and silver ions associated with notable color changes of the membrane from yellow to pale gray and dark green, respectively. A novel label colorimetric sensor membrane Cu–(PAAc/PVA) has been developed for sensitive detection of Hg²⁺, Ag⁺ ions basis of the UV spectrophotometer data. A detection limit as low as 10^?5 and 10^?6 M of Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions was achieved. This article proved that the Cu–(PAAc/PVA) nanocomposites membrane is exhibited excellent selectivity toward Hg²⁺, Ag⁺ ions. The advantages to the determination of Hg²⁺, Ag⁺ ions using Cu(PAAc/PVA) nanocomposite membrane is simple, low cost, rapid and easy observation by naked eye, the developed Cu–(PAAc/PVA) colorimetric membrane candidate for the detection of toxic Hg²⁺, Ag⁺ ions in environmental and biological samples. The particles size of synthesized Cu was performed using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicates that Cu nanoparticles of size 8 nm are formed by green method. Absorption spectra of Cu nanoparticles deposited in PAAc/PVA at 591 nm confirm the capped of Cu nanoparticles inside PAAc/PVA matrices. The synthesized Cu nanocomposite has been found to be more AC conducting at low frequency than Hg and Ag nanoparticles. The increasing increase in conductivity of membrane can be correlated due to the formation of localized electronic states in polymer matrix due to insertion of Cu nanoparticles.     

Water sorption and water‐resistance properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/clay nanocomposite films: Effects of chemical structure and morphology

A series of poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium montmorillonite (PVA/NaMMT) nanocomposite films were prepared via a solution method, and their water sorption and water‐resistant properties were investigated as a function of clay content. The water sorption and water resistance properties were strongly dependent on the chemical structure and film morphology originating from the NaMMT content. The water diffusion coefficient and water uptake of the PVA/NaMMT nanocomposite films were obtained by best fits to a Fickian diffusion model. The diffusion coefficient and water uptake in the PVA/NaMMT nanocomposite films varied between 8.16 × 10⁻¹⁰ and 3.60 × 10⁻¹⁰ cm² s⁻¹ and 35.6 and 29.9 wt%, respectively. Both the diffusion coefficient and water uptake decreased as the content of NaMMT in pure PVA was increased. Additionally, the water resistance pressure (mm) of the PVA/NaMMT nanocomposite films increased with increasing NaMMT content. Contact angle analyses showed that the chemical affinity to water and the surface energy of the nanocomposite films decreased with increasing NaMMT content. Furthermore, the well‐dispersed and exfoliated structure in the nanocomposite films not only induced an increased tortuous path for water molecules to pass through, but also increased the molecular order. However, to enhance the water sorption properties and water resistance of hydrophilic PVA, further studies to increase the dispersion of clay particles and ensure desired morphological qualities such as crystallinity and molecular packing order in the PVA/clay nanocomposite films are required. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:660–667, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Intercalated clay structures and amorphous behavior of solution cast and melt pressed poly(ethylene oxide)–clay nanocomposites

The polymer nanocomposite (PNC) films consisted of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and sodium cations montmorillonite (MMT) clay were prepared by aqueous solution casting and direct melt press compounding techniques, whereas the films of PEO with trimethyl octadecyl ammonium cations organo‐modified montmorillonite (OMMT) clay were formed by melt pressed technique. The clay concentrations in the nanocomposites used are 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 20 wt % of the PEO weight. The X‐ray diffraction patterns of these nanocomposites were measured in the angular range (2θ) of 3.8–30°. The values of basal spacing d₀₀₁ of MMT/OMMT, clay gallery width W_cg, d‐spacings of PEO crystal reflections d₁₂₀ and d₁₁₂, and their corresponding crystallite size L, and the peaks intensity I (counts) were determined for these nanocomposites. Results reveal that the nanocomposites have intercalated clay structures and the amount of intercalation increases with the increase of clay concentration. As compared to melt pressed PEO–MMT nanocomposites, the amount of clay intercalation is higher in aqueous solution cast nanocomposites. At 20 wt % MMT dispersion in PEO matrix, the solution cast PEO–MMT nanocomposite almost changes into amorphous phase. The melt press compounded PEO–OMMT films show more intercalation as compared to the PEO–MMT nanocomposites prepared by same technique. In melt pressed nanocomposites, the PEO crystalline phase significantly reduces when clay concentration exceeds 3 wt %, which is evidenced by the decrease in relative intensity of PEO principal crystalline peaks. The effect of interactions between the functional group (ethylene oxide) of PEO and layered sheets of clay on both the main crystalline peaks of PEO was separately analyzed using their XRD parameters in relation to structural conformations of these nanocomposites. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39898.