New aspects on vermiculite filler in polyethylene

The vermiculite from Brazil (fy Grena in Czech Republic) was used as clay mineral nanofiller to polyethylene. Two vermiculite size fractions were prepared in a planetary ball mill and in the jet mill. The vermiculite/polyethylene nanocomposites were prepared with 7 mass% and 3.5 mass% of vermiculite nanofillers using melt compounding procedure without additives. The characterization of vermiculite nanofillers and their corresponding clay polymer nanocomposites (CPN) was made based on the results obtained using the X-ray powder diffraction, particle size distribution and specific surface area measurements. The surfaces of CPN plates were studied using atomic force microscopy. The arrangement of the PE chains near the vermiculite structure was investigated by molecular modeling. Finding that the CPN have an effect on bacterial growth was confirmed by long-term evaluation of the living/deceased Enterococcus faecalis bacteria on the surface plates of the CPN.     

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanoparticle filled polypropylene: Effect of particle surface treatment on mechanical,thermal, and morphological performance of composites

The present study was aimed to see the effect of surface treatment on nanocomposites with different fatty acids (stearic acid and oleic acid) having two different coupling agents (titanate and silane). Nanocomposites were prepared via melt mixing in Haake 90 twin screw extruder. The characterization of nanocomposites had been carried out using various advance analytical techniques such as dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, heat distortion temperature, melt flow index, and scanning electron microscopy. The strength and stiffness were also improved with the incorporation of maleic‐anhydride grafted ethylene propylene rubber in PP/Nano‐CaCO₃ nanocomposites. The tensile, flexural, and impact strength properties of PP/MA‐g‐EPR/treated‐CaCO₃ and untreated nanocomposites were determined. These studies revealed that stearic acid treated nanofiller filled composites had better properties than those of untreated and oleic acid treated nanofiller filled composites. The SEM studies demonstrated that the dispersion and distribution of Nano‐CaCO₃ (nCaCO₃) particles within the polypropylene matrix were dependent on the nature of surface treating agents. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Preparation of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Nanocomposite Films Reinforced with Poly(Amide–Imide)/CuO Having N-trimellitylimido-L-valine Linkages for the Improvement of Mechanical and Thermal Properties

In this investigation, nanocomposite films were fabricated by dispersion of poly(amide–imide)/CuO nanocomposites as nanofiller in the poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix via an ultrasonic process. The nanofiller was prepared and mixed with PVA matrix. After dispersion of nanofiller into the poly(vinyl alcohol), the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were improved. For example, the addition of 6 wt% nanofiller into the poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix enhanced the tensile modulus by 39%. The residual weight at 800°C was 7% for pure poly(vinyl alcohol) while the nanocomposites illustrated 12–19% residue at this temperature.     

Influence of Processing Conditions on the Properties of Polystyrene (PS)/organomontmorillonite (OMMT) Nanocomposites Prepared via Solvent Blending Method

A series of polystyrene (PS)/organomontmorillonite (OMMT) clay nanocomposites was prepared by effectively dispersing the inorganic nanolayers of OMMT clay in the organic PS matrix via the solvent blending method using xylene as a solvent. The resulting samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The XRD and TEM results show that the intercalation/exfoliation of OMMT can be divided into solvent swelling and layer breaking processes and is affected by several reaction parameters such as nanofiller loading, refluxing temperature, and refluxing time. TGA data show that the PS/OMMT nanocomposites have significant enhanced thermal stability. When 50% weight loss is selected as a point of comparison, the thermal decomposition temperature of PS/OMMT nanocomposite with 7 wt% of OMMT is 15°C higher than that of pure PS. The glass transition temperature (T_g) of PS/OMMT nanocomposites is about 5.0–6.2°C higher than that of pure PS. The water uptake capacity of PS/OMMT nanocomposites is negligible when compared with pure PS.     

Novel LDPE/vermiculite/ciclopiroxolamine hybrid nanocomposites: Structure,surface properties,and antifungal activity

The increasing number of indwelling medical materials and devices are connected with infections caused by yeast, especially Candida albicans. This pathogen produces biofilms on synthetic materials, which facilitates adhesion of the organisms to devices and renders them relatively refractory to medical therapy. Since antimicrobial polymer nanocomposites present one of the promising possibilities, this study explores a new approach to achieving this goal by developing nanocomposite based on low density polyethylene (LDPE) with clay mineral vermiculite as an active carrier for antifungal compound. The set of LDPE/clay nanocomposite with increasing amount of antifungal nanofiller was prepared by melt compounding procedure. As antifungal agent was selected generally used active substance ciclopiroxolamine and this compound was loaded into natural vermiculite through ultrasound technique. The structure of all prepared samples was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. Further thermal properties of polyethylene/clay nanocomposites were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and the surface properties were evaluated by light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. From mentioned characteristics, we conclude that presence of nanofiller in LDPE primarily causes shift of thermal degradation to higher temperatures and increasing of microhardness. All prepared LDPE nanocomposites possess an excellent and prolonged antifungal activity against Candida albicans.     

Study on the Effect of Polypyrrole and Polypyrrole/Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles on the Microstructure,Electrical and Tensile Properties of Polypropylene Nanocomposites

In this article Polypropylene/Polypyrrole (PP/PPy) and Polypropylene/polypyrrole-graphene oxide (PP/PPy-GO) nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing. PPy nanoparticles and PPy-GO nanocomposite were prepared by chemical polymerization and served as nanofillers. FTIR, XRD and SEM analysis were used for the characterization of PPy and PPy-GO composites. The effects of PPy and PPy-GO loading level on the morphology, tensile and electrical properties of PP-based nanocomposites were examined. It was found that the Young's modulus and tensile strength increased with the increase of nanofiller content. Tensile results also showed that PPy-GO composite significantly affected the mechanical properties of PP based nanocomposites compared to the PPy nanoparticles. It was observed that the addition of 1% wt. PPy-GO into PP, increased the Young's modulus about 30% compared as with pure PP. Electrical conductivity measurements showed that conductivity of PP nanocomposites increased up to 1 × 10^?3 S/cm for PP/PPy-GO nanocomposites. It was also observed that PP-g-MA improved the distribution of PPy and PPy-GO nanocomposites and affected the morphology, electrical and mechanical properties of PP-based nanocomposites.     

Preparation and Characterization of UHMWPE/Graphene Nanocomposites Using Bi-Supported Ziegler-Natta Polymerization

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/graphene nanocomposites with molecular weights as high as 3 × 10⁶ g/mol were prepared via in situ polymerization using a bi-supported Ziegler-Natta catalytic system. Effects of [Al]/[Ti] molar ratio, temperature, monomer pressure, and polymerization time on productivity of the catalyst have been investigated. Increasing [Al]/[Ti] molar ratio from 128 to 320, increased productivity from 1667 g PE/mmol Ti.h to maximum value which was 2420 g PE/mmol Ti.h. Further [Al]/[Ti] ratio decreased the productivity. Reaction temperature effect investigation reveals that the optimal activity was obtained at 60°C. the polymerization productivity increases with monomer pressure and decreased with polymerization time. Morphological information was determined by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Obtained results show that graphene layers in these nanocomposites were completely exfoliated and dispersed uniformly in the polyethylene matrix while no nanoparticle cluster has been formed.     

Physical properties and shape memory behavior of thermoplastic polyurethane/poly(ethylene-<Emphasis Type="Italic">alt</Emphasis>-maleic anhydride) blends and graphene nanoplatelet composite

A new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was prepared from polylactide-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polylactide (soft segment) and 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (hard segment). Then, TPU in various proportions (i.e., 50, 70, and 90 wt%) was blended with poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEMA) to form samples coded as TPU/PEMA50, TPU/PEMA70, and TPU/PEMA90. The TPU and PEMA blend at ratio of 50:50 was reinforced by various graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) contents. Three novel strategies were opted in this research, including design of novel thermoplastic polyurethane, blend of TPU with poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride), and fabrication of graphene nanoplatelet-based nanocomposites. Hydrogen bonding between blend component and GNPs directed the formation of regular nanostructure. Consequently, unique self-assembled flower-shaped morphology was observed in blends as well as hybrid materials using the scanning electron microscopy technique. Physical interlinking between blend components and nanofiller was also responsible for rise in tensile modulus (39.3 MPa) and Young’s modulus (4.04 GPa) of the TPU/PEMA/GNP 5 hybrid compared with the neat blend. The crystallization property was studied by the X-ray diffraction analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The melting temperature of about 70 °C was preferred for the shape recovery studies. The results from heat-induced shape recovery were compared with those of electroactive shape memory effects. Electrical conductivity was increased to 0.18 S cm^?1 using 5 wt% GNP nanofiller, which was dependent on the applied temperature, as well. The original shape of TPU/PEMA/GNP 5 sample was almost 95 % recovered using heat-induced shape memory effect, while 98 % recovery was observed in an electric field of 40 V. Electroactive shape memory results were found to be better than those induced by heat stimulation effect.     

Mechanical,thermal, and transport properties of nitrile rubber–nanocalcium carbonate composites

The article describes the properties of acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer (NBR)–nanocalcium carbonate (NCC) nanocomposites prepared by a two‐step method. The amount of NCC was varied from 2 phr to 10 phr. Cure characteristics, mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical properties, thermal behavior, and transport properties of NBR–NCC composites were evaluated. For preparing NBR nanocomposites, a master batch of NBR and NCC was initially made using internal mixer. Neat NBR and the NBR–NCC masterbatch was compounded with other compounding ingredients on a two roll mill. NCC activated cure reaction upto 5 phr. The tensile strength increased with the nanofiller content, whereas NBR–NCC containing 7.5 phr exhibited the highest modulus. The storage modulus (E′) increased up to 5 phr NCC loading; the reinforcing effect of NCC was seen in the increase of modulus which was more significant at temperatures above T_g. The effect of nanofiller content and temperature on transport properties was evaluated. The solvent uptake decreased with NCC content. The mechanism of diffusion of solvent through the nanocomposites was found to be Fickian. Transport parameters like diffusion, sorption, and permeation constants were determined and found to decrease with nanofiller content, the minimum value being at 7.5 phr. Thermodynamic constants such as enthalpy and activation energy were also evaluated. The dependence of various properties on NCC was supported by morphological analysis using transmission electron microscopy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Regenerated cellulose nanocomposites reinforced with exfoliated graphite nanosheets using BMIMCL ionic liquid

Green nanocomposites of regenerated cellulose/exfoliated graphite nanosheets films with low nanofiller loadings were prepared using environmentally benign 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) ionic liquid. X-ray diffraction revealed well developed intercalated nanocomposites. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of the prepared nanocomposites were increased by 97.5% and 172% respectively when 0.75 wt.% and 1 wt.% exfoliated graphite nanosheets were added. The results were validated using the Halpin–Tsai model. The exfoliated graphite nanosheets were unidirectionally aligned in the regenerated cellulose parallel to the surface of the nanocomposites as revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Also, the TEM and FESEM revealed uniform dispersion of the exfoliated graphite nanosheets and good interaction between the nanofillers and the matrix. The addition of the exfoliated graphite nanosheets enhanced the thermal stability and reduced the water absorption and diffusivity of the nanocomposites.     

High-performance polymer/nanodiamond composites: synthesis and properties

Conjugated polymer/nanodiamond nanocomposites have been known as high-performance materials due to improved physical properties relative to conventional composites. In this attempt, novel conjugated polymer/nanodiamond nanocomposites were successfully prepared by in situ oxidative polymerization. Physical characteristics of the resultant nanocomposites were explored using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope, differential scanning calorimeter, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Structural analysis revealed the oxidative polymerization of various matrices [polyaniline (PANi), polypyrrole (PPy), polythiophene (PTh) and polyazopyridine (PAP)] over the surface of functionalized (F-NDs) and non-functionalized nanodiamonds (NF-NDs) thus ensuing NF-NDs/PAP/PANi/PPy, F-NDs/PAP/PANi/PPy, NF-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh and F-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh nanocomposites. FESEM images depicted the fibrillar morphology of resulting nanocomposites with granular arrangement of nanofiller in matrix. Thermal analysis results showed that the functionalized F-NDs/PAP/PANi/PPy hybrid had higher value of 10 % weight loss around 489 °C relative to F-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh with T₁₀ at 471 °C. The glass transition temperature was found to be 99 and 105 °C for NF-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh and F-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh, respectively. On the other hand, NF-NDS/PAP/PANi/PPy and F-NDs/PAP/PANi/PPy showed higher T _g’_s of 109 and 118 °C. The conductivity of NF-NDs/PAP/PANi/PPy was 3.8 Scm^?1 and improved with the functionalized filler loading in F-NDs/PAP/PANi/PPy up to 5.4 Scm^?1, while NF-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh and F-NDs/PANi/PPy/PTh had relatively lower values around 2.9 and 3.7 Scm^?1, respectively. New conducting nanocomposites may act as useful contenders in significant industrial applications such as polymer Li-ion battery.     

Porous ZnO@C core–shell nanocomposites as high performance electrode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

A novel porous spherical ZnO@carbon (C) nanocomposite based on zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs-8)-directed method was prepared for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this strategy, spherical ZnO nanoparticles were firstly prepared, then 2-methylimidazolate and Zn²⁺ were added alternately under ultrasound to fabricate ZnO@ZIF-8. Finally, the novel porous spherical ZnO@C nanocomposites were obtained via pyrolyzing the corresponding ZnO@ZIF-8. The novel porous spherical ZnO@C nanocomposites were characterized with different analysis techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The resulted spherical ZnO@C nanocomposites exhibited a high reversible capacity of 932 mA h g^?1 at 0.1 A g^?1 after 100 cycles, which is much higher than that of the pure ZnO nanoparticles. The porous structure, high specific surface area and good electrical conductivity eventually contribute to the good performance of the resulted ZnO@C nanocomposites for LIBs should be ascribed to the proous structure and high BET surface area derived from ZIFs, as well as the good electrical conductivity of the amourphous carbon derived from ZIFs.     

Polyethylene/aluminum nanocomposites: Improvement of dielectric strength by nanoparticle surface modification

The effect of the surface modification with a silane coupling agent (octyl‐trimethoxysilane) of aluminum (Al) nanoparticles on the dielectric breakdown behaviors of polyethylene (PE)/Al nanocomposites was investigated in comparison of the influence of the improvement of the interfacial adhesion between Al nanoparticles and PE using a compatibilizer (maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene). It was found that when compared with the other modification approaches, the surface‐treated Al nanofiller with the silane coupling agent makes it possible for the PE/Al nanocomposites to still keep the relatively higher breakdown strength even in the higher Al loading level above 14 vol %, which can be understood in terms of the better interfacial adhesion between the surface‐treated particle dispersion and the matrix. The combined effects of the Al nanoparticles on the different factors which influence the dielectric breakdown processes in polymer matrix such as microstructure, conductivity, and crystallinity of the nanocomposites were discussed in detail. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Montmorillonite‐filled nanocomposites of tung oil/styrene/divinylbenzene polymers prepared by thermal polymerization

Montmorillonite‐filled nanocomposites were prepared by the thermal copolymerization of tung oil (TUNG), styrene (ST), and divinylbenzene (DVB). These nanocomposites were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and their mechanical properties. The XRD of the modified montmorillonite exhibited a peak that vanished completely in the nanocomposites. Thus, the XRD results apparently indicate a distortion of the platy layers of the nanofiller in the TUNG–ST–DVB polymers. A platy nanolayered structure of the modified montmorillonite in the TUNG–ST–DVB polymers was observed by TEM. The extent of separation of the platy layers as observed by the TEM reached a maximum for the 5% modified nanofiller (at a fixed polymer composition), 50%‐oil‐containing polymer (at a fixed nanofiller concentration of 5%), and TUNG intragallery nanocomposites (at both fixed polymer and nanofiller concentrations). The DMA results show a broadened glass‐transition temperature along with a hump for these nanofilled polymers, indicating the presence as a majority constituent of a copolymer consisting of TUNG and aromatics, along with a grafted TUNG polymer, respectively. The improvements in the Young's modulus and compressive strength upon incorporation of the nanofiller indicated the presence of a partially intercalated and distorted platy‐layered structure of the nanofiller. However, from the results of all of these studies, it was tough to estimate the exact level of delamination/exfoliation in these TUNG nanocomoposites. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Preparation and Performance of High-Barrier Low Density Polyethylene/Organic Montmorillonite Nanocomposite

Montmorillonite (MMT) was first modified with dodecyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium (DDA) salt and octadecyl trimethyl ammonium (OTA) salt. Then low density polyethylene (LDPE)/organic montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites were prepared by twin-screw extruder and hot-press. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that OMMT layers were homogeneously intercalated into the LDPE matrix. In terms of MMT, the modification effect of OTA is superior to that of DDA. CO₂ and O₂ barrier properties of nanocomposites were increased by 7 times and 4 times with 0.5 wt.% OTA-MMT loading, respectively. At 2 wt% OTA-MMT loading, water vapor permeability of LDPE has also decreased about 2.5 times. Compared with pure PE film, 49.5% and 178% improvement of tensile strength of nanocomposites films were obtained by addition of only 4 wt.% DDA-MMT and OTA-MMT, respectively. In addition, with only 0.5 wt.% OMMT loading, the onset degradation temperature of nanocomposites increases by 23°C and 26°C for LDPE/DDA-MMT and LDPE/OTA-MMT, respectively.     

Antibacterial Nanocomposite of Poly(Lactic Acid) and ZnO Nanoparticles Stabilized with Poly(Vinyl Alcohol): Thermal and Morphological Characterization

The effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a surface coating agent on the antibacterial and thermal properties of polylactic acid (PLA)/ZnO nanocomposites prepared by melt blending was investigated. The ZnO nanoparticles were coated and stabilized with PVA using a solvothermal method. Nanocomposites were prepared with different ZnO nanoparticle content: 1, 3 and 5 wt.%. Electron transmission microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of a layer around the nanoparticles and the interaction between nanoparticles and PVA, respectively. DSC analysis revealed that the thermal properties of the nanocomposites were not affected by the coating of ZnO nanoparticles with PVA. The PLA/ZnO nanocomposites with coated nanoparticles presented better antibacterial activity than those containing uncoated nanoparticles.     

Synergistic effects of conductive carbon nanofillers based on the ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene with uniform and segregated structures

To discuss the synergistic effects of mixed conductive filler on nanocomposites, different structural carbon nanofiller/ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) hybrid nanocomposites with uniform and segregated structure were prepared by using ethanol-assisted dispersion, hydrazine reduction, and hot-pressing methods. Scanning electron microscopy and polarized optical microscopy images of the nanocomposites fracture showed that the complete conductive channels could be formed in segregated nanocomposites prepared by powder mixing method. By contrast, the discontinuous electric path could be observed in the homogeneous nanocomposites prepared by the solution method. The test of conductivity performance demonstrated that the percolation threshold of carbon black (CB)/UHMWPE and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-CB/UHMWPE nanocomposites with segregated structure were 0.42 and 0.18 vol %, which were lower than those of the nanocomposites with uniform structure (4.91 and 2.62%). The electrical conductivity of MWCNTs-CB/UHMWPE nanocomposites with segregated structure reached to 3.0 × 10⁻² S m⁻¹ with the filler content of 1.5 vol %. In addition, the results of differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the crystallinity of UHMWPE decreased slightly with the addition of mixed filler. All of the study showed that the conductivity of MWCNTs-CB/UHMWPE nanocomposites with segregated structure has better electrical conductivity than the uniform. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47317.     

Development and characterization of surface-modified mullite reinforced BMI-toughened epoxy nanocomposites

High-performance diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy-based composite systems with improved thermal stability for advanced structural applications were developed, using bismaleimide (BMI) as toughening agent and surface-modified mullite as reinforcing agent. The nanocomposites developed in the present study are referred to as M/DGEBA–BMI. 95 % by wt. of DGEBA was toughened with 5 % by wt. of BMI and further reinforced with varying weight percentages of (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt%) glycidyl-functionalized mullite to obtain M/DGEBA–BMI nanocomposites. The formation of nanocomposites was ascertained using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical and dielectric properties of nanocomposites were investigated by analytical techniques. The thermal behaviour of nanocomposites was characterized using thermogravimetric analyzer and differential scanning calorimeter. Contact angle, surface free energy and percentage water absorption were also studied and reported. Studies suggest that the properties of M/DGEBA–BMI nanocomposites viz; mechanical, dielectric, surface energy and thermal properties improved to an appreciable extent, when compared to those of neat epoxy matrix.     

Effects of SiO2 and Al2O3 nanofillers on polyethylene properties

Polymers filled with inorganic nanoparticles have become interesting materials as dielectrics because of their improved mechanical and electrical properties compared with the unfilled polymers and with polymer microcomposites. These improvements are mainly due to the large surface area of nanoparticles and new polymer–nanofiller interface characteristics. In the present work, polyethylene nanocomposites with SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ nanoparticles were prepared by melt mixing. Mechanical and electrical properties of these composites were determined and morphological aspects were revealed by scanning electron microscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The effect of nanostructure and the importance of nanofiller dispersion were analyzed in connection with mechanical and electrical properties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Improved mechanical and thermal properties of bamboo–epoxy nanocomposites

Natural fiber‐reinforced hybrid composites based on bamboo/epoxy/nanoclay were prepared. Ultrasound sonication was used for the dispersion of nanoclay in the bamboo–epoxy composites. The morphology of bamboo–epoxy nanocomposites was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The results show that there exists an optimum limit in which the mechanical properties of composites improved by continuously increasing the nanoclay content. The tensile and flexural strength of bamboo–epoxy nanocomposites with 3 wt% nanoclay increased by 40% and 27%, respectively, as compared to pure composites. The highest value of impact strength was obtained for 1 wt% nanoclay content bamboo–epoxy nanocomposites. The enhanced impact strength of bamboo–epoxy nanocomposites was one of the key advantages brought by nanofiller. The results show that incorporation of nanoclay substantially increases the water resistance capability and thermal stability of bamboo–epoxy nanocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers