Rubber/LDH nanocomposites by solution blending

The rubber nanocomposites containing ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) having 60 wt % of vinyl acetate content and organomodified layered double hydroxide (DS‐LDH) as nanofiller have been prepared by solution intercalation method and characterized. The XRD and TEM analysis demonstrate the formation of completely exfoliated EVA/DS‐LDH nanocomposites for 1 wt % filler loading followed by partially exfoliated structure for 5–8 wt % of DS‐LDH content. EVA/DS‐LDH nanocomposites show improved mechanical properties such as tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EB) in comparison with neat EVA. The maximum value of TS (5.1 MPa) is noted for 3 wt % of DS‐LDH content with respect to TS value of pure EVA (2.6 MPa). The data from thermogravimetric analysis show the improvement in thermal stability of the nanocomposites by ≈15°C with respect to neat EVA. Limiting oxygen index measurements show that the nanocomposites act as good flame retardant materials. Swelling property analysis shows improved solvent resistance behavior of the nanocomposites (1, 3, and 5 wt % DS‐LDH content) compared with neat EVA‐60. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Synthesis and characterization of ethylene vinyl acetate/Mg–Al layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH)/Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA‐28) nanocomposites were prepared through solution intercalation method using organically modified layered double hydroxide (DS‐LDH). DS‐LDH was made by the intercalation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) ion. The structure of DS‐LDH and its nanocomposites with EVA‐28 was determined by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. XRD analysis shows that the original peak of DS‐LDH shifted to lower 2θ range and supports the formation of intercalated nanocomposites while, TEM micrograph shows the presence of partially exfoliated LDH nanolayers in addition to orderly stacked LDH crystallites in the polymer matrix. The presence of LDH in the nanocomposites has been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The mechanical properties show significant improvement for the nanocomposite with respect to neat EVA‐28. Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis shows that thermal stability of the nanocomposites is higher than that of EVA‐28. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 1845–1851, 2007     

Effect of vinyl acetate content on the mechanical and thermal properties of ethylene vinyl acetate/MgAl layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/Mg‐Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites using EVA of different vinyl acetate contents (EVA‐18 and EVA‐45) have been prepared by solution blending method. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic studies of nanocomposites clearly indicate the formation of exfoliated/intercalated structure for EVA‐18 and completely delaminated structure for EVA‐45. Though EVA‐18 nanocomposites do not show significant improvement in mechanical properties, EVA‐45 nanocomposites with 5 wt % DS‐LDH content results in tensile strength and elongation at break to be 25% and 7.5% higher compared to neat EVA‐45. The data from thermogravimetric analysis show that the nanocomposites of EVA‐18 and EVA‐45 have ≈10°C higher thermal decomposition temperature compared to neat EVA. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Ethylene vinyl acetate/ethylene propylene diene terpolymer‐blend‐layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA‐45)/ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) blend‐layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites have been prepared by solution blending of 1:1 weight ratio of EVA and EPDM with varying amounts of organo LDH (DS‐LDH). X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis suggest the formation of partially exfoliated EVA/EPDM/DS‐LDH nanocomposites. Measurement of mechanical properties of the nanocomposites (3 wt% DS‐LDH content) show that the improvement in tensile strength and elongation at break are 35 and 12% higher than neat EVA/EPDM blends. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis also shows that the storage modulus of the nanocomposites at glass transition temperature is higher compared to the pure blend. Such improvements in mechanical properties have been correlated in terms of fracture behavior of the nanocomposites using scanning electron microscopy analysis. Thermal stability of the prepared nanocomposites is substantially higher compared to neat EVA/EPDM blend, confirming the formation of high‐performance polymer nanocomposites. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synergistic effects of exfoliated LDH with some halogen‐free flame retardants in LDPE/EVA/HFMH/LDH nanocomposites

The synergistic effects of exfoliated layered double hydroxides (LDH) with some halogen‐free flame retardant (HFFR) additives, such as hyperfine magnesium hydroxide (HFMH), microencapsulated red phosphorus (MRP), and expandable graphite (EG), in the low‐density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer/LDH (LDPE/EVA/LDH) nanocomposites have been studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal analysis (TGA and DTG), mechanical properties, limiting oxygen index (LOI), and UL‐94 tests. The XRD results show that EVA as an excellent compatilizer can promote the exfoliation of LDH and homogeneous dispersion of HFMH in the LDPE/EVA/HFMH/LDH nanocomposites prepared by melt‐intercalation method. The TEM images demonstrate that the exfoliated LDH layers can act as synergistic compatilizer and dispersant to make the HFMH particles dispersed homogeneously in the LDPE matrix. The results from the mechanical, LOI, and UL‐94 tests show that the exfoliated LDH layers can also act as the nano‐enhanced and flame retardant synergistic agents and thus increase the tensile strength, LOI values, and UL‐94 rating of the nanocomposites. The morphological structures of charred residues observed by SEM give the positive evidence that the compact charred layers formed from the LDPE/EVA/HFMH/LDH nanocomposites with the exfoliated LDH layers play an important role in the enhancement of flame retardant and mechanical properties. The TGA and DTG data show that the exfoliated LDH layers as excellent flame retardant synergist of MRP or EG can apparently increase the thermal degradation temperature and the charred residues after burning. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Preparation and characterization of exfoliated layered double hydroxide/silicone rubber nanocomposites

Silicone rubber (SR)/Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites were prepared by the solution intercalation of SR crosslinked by a platinum‐catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction into the galleries of dodecyl sulfate intercalated layered double hydroxide (DS–LDH). X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed the formation of exfoliated structures of organomodified LDH layers in the SR matrix. The tensile strength and elongation at break of SR/DS–LDH (5 wt %) were maximally improved by 53 and 38%, respectively, in comparison with those of the neat polymer. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the thermal degradation temperature of the exfoliated SR/DS–LDH (1 wt %) nanocomposites at 50% weight loss was 20°C higher than that of pure SR. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis data confirmed that the melting temperature of the nanocomposites increased at lower filler loadings (1, 3, and 5 wt %), whereas it decreased at a higher filler loading (8 wt %). The relative improvements in the solvent‐uptake resistance behavior of the SR/DS–LDH nanocomposites were also observed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Synthesis and characterization of polyurethane/Mg‐Al layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) is a new type of nanofiller, which improves the physicochemical properties of the polymer matrix. In this study, 1, 3, 5, and 8 wt % of dodecyl sulfate‐intercalated LDH (DS‐LDH) has been used as nanofiller to prepare a series of thermoplastic polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites by solution intercalation method. PU/DS‐LDH composites so formed have been characterized by X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis which show that the DS‐LDH layers are exfoliated at lower filler (1 and 3 wt %) loading followed by intercalation at higher filler (8 wt %) loading. Mechanical properties of the nanocomposite with 3 wt % of DS‐LDH content shows 67% improvement in tensile strength compared to pristine PU, which has been correlated in terms of fracture behavior of the nanocomposites using scanning electron microscope analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the thermal stability of the nanocomposite with 3 wt % DS‐LDH content is ≈ 29°C higher than neat PU. Limiting oxygen index of the nanocomposites is also improved from 19 to 23% in neat PU and PU/8 wt% DS‐LDH nanocomposites, respectively. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Preparation and properties of layered double hydroxide/poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanocomposites by direct melt compounding

Thermal, rheological and mechanical properties of layered double hydroxide (LDHs)/PET nanocomposites were investigated. To enhance the compatibility between PET matrix and LDHs, organic modification of parent LDH having carbonate anion was carried out using various anionic surfactants such as dodecylsulfate (DS), dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS), and octylsulfate(OS) by rehydration process. Then, PET nanocomposites with LDH content of 0, 1.0, and 2.0 wt% were prepared by direct melt-compounding. The dispersion morphologies were observed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, indicating that LDH-DS were exfoliated in PET matrix. From the rheology study, there are some network structures owing to filler-filler and/or filler-matrix interactions in nanocomposite systems. Consequently, DS intercalated LDH provided good compatibility with PET molecules, resulting in exfoliated LDH-DS/PET nanocomposites having enhanced thermal and mechanical properties as compared to other nanocomposites as well as homo PET.     

Effects of an intercalating agent on the morphology and thermal and flame‐retardant properties of low‐density polyethylene/layered double hydroxide nanocomposites prepared by melt intercalation

The effects of an intercalating agent on the morphology and thermal and flame‐retardant properties of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites were studied with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, microscale combustion calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical property measurements. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that after intercalation with stearate anion (SA) or dodecyl sulfate anion (DS), organo‐LDH could be nanodispersed in an LDPE matrix with exfoliated structures or intercalated structures simultaneously with partially exfoliated structures, respectively, via melt intercalation. However, the unmodified LDH composites yielded only microcomposites. Microscale combustion calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and dynamic Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the following order for the flame‐retardant and thermal properties: LDPE/SA‐modified LDH > LDPE/DS‐modified LDH > LDPE/NO₃‐modified LDH > LDPE. The higher performance of the LDPE/LDH nanocomposites with respect to flame retardance and thermal stability could be attributed to the better dispersion state of the LDH layers in the LDPE matrix and the greater hindrance effect of LDH layers on the diffusion of oxygen and volatile products throughout the composite materials when they were exposed to burning or thermal degradation. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the LDPE/LDH nanocomposites decreased to some extent because of the decrease in the crystallinity of the LDPE matrix. A transmittance test showed that the transparency of the exfoliated LDPE/SA‐modified LDH nanocomposite was very close to that of neat LDPE. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Experimental investigation of the linear viscoelastic response of EVA‐based nanocomposites

Linear viscoelastic behaviors of ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA)‐layered silicate nanocomposites were investigated. EVA with vinyl acetate (VA) content of 18 and 28% by weight and commercially modified montmorillonite clay (Cloisite® 30B) were melt blended in a twin‐screw extruder. Nanocomposites of 2.5, 5 and 7.5% by weight were produced. Wide angle X‐ray scattering was used to ascertain the degree of layer swelling that could be attributed to the intercalation of polymer chains into the interlayer of the silicates. Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze the dispersion and extent of exfoliation of the layered silicates in the polymer matrix. All nanocomposites were found to have mixed intercalated/exfoliated morphologies. Both storage and loss moduli and complex viscosity showed improvement at all frequencies tested with increase in silicate loading. Terminal zone behavior was also shown to disappear gradually with silicate content. Increase in silicate loading had caused the divergence of viscosity profile from low‐frequency Newtonian plateau to non‐Newtonian slope corresponding to a possible finite yield stress. The gradual disappearances of terminal zone and Newtonian homopolymer‐like characteristics with silicate loading were attributed to the formation of lattice spanning three‐dimensional network structures. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2127–2135, 2006     

A solution blending route to ethylene propylene diene terpolymer/layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM)/MgAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites have been synthesized by solution intercalation using organically modified LDH (DS-LDH). The molecular level dispersion of LDH nanolayers has been verified by the disappearance of basal XRD peak of DS-LDH in the composites. The internal structures, of the nanocomposite with the dispersion nature of LDH particles in EPDM matrix have been studied by TEM and AFM. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows thermal stability of nanocomposites improved by ≈40 °C when 10% weight loss was selected as point of comparison. The degradation for pure EPDM is faster above 380 °C while in case of its nanocomposites, it is much slower.     

Preparation and properties of exfoliated nanocomposites through intercalated a photoinitiator into LDH interlayer used for UV curing coatings

The exfoliated polymer/layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites based on MgAl were prepared through intercalating a photoinitiator into LDH interlayer, following by UV irradiation induced polymerization. The fragmental photoinitiator, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenylpropane-1-one (1173) firstly reacted with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) to obtain the semiadduct, 1173-IPDI, and then reacted with the LDH modified by aminoundecanoic acid, obtaining LDH-1173 with an intercalated microstructure, which was characterized by FTIR, XRD, and TGA measurements. The obtained LDH-1173 was mixed with the multifunctional acrylate oligomer and monomer, and then exposed to a UV lamp to prepare a polymer/LDH nanocomposite. From the XRD, TEM and HR-TEM analysis, as well the photopolymerization kinetics investigation, it was found that the LDH-1173 effectively initiated the photopolymerization of acrylates, and formed exfoliated polymer/LDH nanocomposites. However, the mostly intercalated polymer/LDH nanocomposites were obtained for the systems with additional 1173 except for LDH-1173 addition. Compared with the pure polymer material, both the exfoliated and intercalated polymer/LDH nanocomposites exhibited the enhancements in mechanical and thermal properties, as well as hardness.     

Thermal and physicomechanical properties of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and layered double hydroxide composites

A series of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer films have been prepared with different compositions viz. 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt % layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles by solution intercalation method. These solution-casted EVA/LDH nanocomposite films were dried and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. EVA/LDH films were further tested for tensile strength, density, moisture content, solubility resistance, flammability, and electrical properties. The DSC and FTIR analysis indicate strong interactions between the LDH layers and vinyl acetate groups in EVA. Further, EVA nanocomposite films show enhanced tensile strength, limiting oxygen index (LOI), and flammability rating for the addition of LDH without sacrificing the electrical properties. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008     

Thermoplastic polyurethane and nitrile butadiene rubber blends with layered double hydroxide nanocomposites by solution blending

Polymer blending coupled with nanofillers has been widely accepted as one of the cheaper methods to develop high‐performance polymeric materials for various applications. In the present work, dodecyl sulfate intercalated Mg? Al‐based layered double hydroxide (DS‐LDH) was used as nanofiller in the synthesis of polyurethane blended with nitrile butadiene rubber (PU/NBR; 1:1 w/w) nanocomposites, which were subsequently characterized. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the partial dispersion of Mg? Al layers in PU/NBR blends at lower filler content followed by aggregation at higher filler loading. In comparison to the neat PU/NBR blend, the tensile strength (156%) and elongation at break (21%) show maximum improvement for 1 wt% filler loading. The storage and loss moduli, thermal stability and limiting oxygen index of the nanocomposites are higher compared to the neat PU/NBR blend. Glass transition temperature and swelling measurements increase up to 3 wt% DS‐LDH loading in PU/NBR compared to either neat PU/NBR or its other corresponding nanocomposites. XRD and TEM analyses indicate the partial distribution of DS‐LDH in PU/NBR blends suggesting the formation of partially exfoliated nanocomposites. The improvements in mechanical, thermal and flame retardancy properties are much greater compared to the neat blend confirming the formation of high‐performance polymer nanocomposites. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of layered silicate on EPDM/EVA blend nanocomposite: Dynamic mechanical,thermal, and swelling properties

Polymer blend nanocomposites have been developed by solution method using ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA‐45) copolymer, and organically modified layered silicate. Morphological investigation made by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic analysis indicates intercalated structure of EPDM/EVA nanocomposites with partial disorder. Scanning electron microscopic studies exhibit the phase behavior of EPDM/EVA blend nanocomposites. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis shows a significant increase in storage modulus in the rubbery plateau. The decrease in damping (tan δ) value and enhanced glass‐transition temperature (T_g) demonstrate the reinforcing effect of layered silicate in the EPDM/EVA blend matrix. The tensile modulus of these nanocomposites also showed a significant improvement with the filler content. The main chain scission of EPDM/EVA blend nanocomposites compared with the neat EPDM/EVA blend showed substantial improvement in thermal stability in nitrogen, whereas a sizeable increase is observed in air. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synthesis and characterization of polystyrene/layered double‐hydroxide nanocomposites via in situ emulsion and suspension polymerization

Polystyrene (PS)/ZnAl layered double‐hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites were synthesized via in situ emulsion and suspension polymerization in the presence of N‐lauroyl‐glutamate surfactant and long‐chain spacer and characterized with elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. The XRD and TEM results demonstrate that the exfoliated ZnAl–LDH layers were well dispersed at molecular level in the PS matrix. The completely exfoliated PS/LDH nanocomposites were obtained even at the 20 and 10 wt % LDH loadings prepared by emulsion polymerization and suspension polymerization, respectively. The PS/LDH nanocomposites with a suitable amount of LDH showed apparently enhanced thermal stability. When the 50% weight loss was selected as a comparison point, the decomposition temperature of the exfoliated PS/LDH sample prepared by emulsion polymerization with a 5 wt % LDH loading was about 28°C higher than that of pure PS. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 3758–3766, 2006     

Morphology and thermal stabilization mechanism of LLDPE/MMT and LLDPE/LDH nanocomposites

The morphology and thermal stabilization mechanism of polymeric nanocomposites prepared by solution intercalation of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) with montmorillonite (MMT), MgAl layered double hydroxide (LDH), and ZnAl LDH have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Both LLDPE/MMT and LLDPE/MgAl LDH nanocomposites exhibit mixed intercalated-exfoliated structures, whereas the LLDPE/ZnAl LDH nanocomposites exhibit completely exfoliated structures because the ZnAl LDH layers can be easily broken during the refluxing process. All nanocomposites show significantly enhanced thermal stability compared with virgin LLDPE due to the increases of the effective activation energy (E_α) during degradation process. However, LDHs nanocomposites show much higher thermal degradation temperatures than MMT nanocomposites with the same filler content because they have much higher E_α than MMT nanocomposites at the early degradation stage. The data of real time FTIR spectroscopy and morphological evolution reveal a catalytic dehydrogenation effect presents in MMT nanocomposites, which may decrease the E_α of degradation and thermal stability of MMT nanocomposites.     

Effects of different kinds of clay and different vinyl acetate content on the morphology and properties of EVA/clay nanocomposites

A series of EVA/clay nanocomposites and microcomposites have been prepared via melt-blending. Using four kinds of EVA with different vinyl acetate (VA) contents: 28, 40, 50 and 80 wt%, and four kinds of clay: three are organophilic clay (OMMT) and one unfunctionalized clay (Na-MMT), the effects of different VA content of EVA and the kinds of the clay on the morphology and properties of EVA/clay nanocomposites were systematically investigated. In previous studies, there are only two distinct nanostructures to distinguish polymer/clay nanocomposites: the intercalated and the exfoliated. But in this paper, we proposed a new nanostructure—‘the wedged’ to describe the dispersion degree of clay in nanocomposites, it means the sheets of clay were partly wedged by the chains of polymer. The wedged, the intercalated and the partially exfoliated structures of EVA/clay nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The enhanced storage modulus of EVA/clay nanocomposites was characterized by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The enhanced degree in the storage modulus of the OMMT on EVA/clay nanocomposites with the partially exfoliated and intercalated structure is much higher than that with wedged structure, and that with the higher VA content is higher than that with the lower. The thermal stabilities of EVA/clay nanocomposites were also studied by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA).     

Experimental analysis and prediction of viscoelastic creep properties of PP/EVA/LDH nanocomposites using master curves based on time–temperature superposition

Prediction of viscoelastic behavior of polymers over a long‐term period is of vital importance for engineering applications. An attempt was made to uncover the interplay between the morphology and viscoelastic behavior of compatibilized polypropylene/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer blends in the presence of layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplatelets. The time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle and WLF equations were merged to obtain master curves of storage modulus at defined reference temperatures enabling prediction of storage modulus at high frequency ranges which are not experimentally measureable. Moreover, the creep compliance master curves were acquired for different reference temperatures to predict the creep compliance of nanocomposites over long period of times. It was found that the presence of LDH decreases the creep compliance at long period of times while it decreases the unrecoverable deformation of EVA domains. A simple mechanism was proposed to explain the creep and recovery behavior of samples blend at different temperatures. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46725.     

Analysis of dynamic oscillatory rheological properties of PP/EVA/organo-modified LDH ternary hybrids based on generalized Newtonian fluid and generalized linear viscoelastic approaches

A comprehensive investigation was performed on single-step melt processed polypropylene (PP)/(ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/organo-modified layered double hydroxide (LDH) counterpart ternary hybrids to explore the effect of LDH loading on small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheological properties and to correlate the properties with microstructure. The rheological results were analyzed in detail from qualitative and quantitative perspectives. Using qualitative interoperation of storage modulus and complex viscosity alteration against LDH loading, and also quantitative analysis by viscosity models based on both the generalized Newtonian fluid (GNF) and generalized linear viscoelastic (GLVE) approaches, detailed predictions were carried out on the microstructure of samples and also partitioning of the organo-modified LDH particles and their intercalation and exfoliation extent within hybrids. By comparing the elasticity and relaxation spectrum of PP-rich/LDH with those of EVA-rich/LDH hybrids, it was predicted that organo-modified LDH platelets, in the case of PP-rich samples, have been located at the interface or within the EVA dispersed particles, while in the case of EVA-rich samples, they mainly localized within the matrix. In addition, the crossover frequency and slope of G′ and G″ curve at terminal region were correlated with the extent of intercalated and exfoliated structures of filler. The validity of these predictions on microstructure of the developed hybrids was confirmed visually using transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrographs.