Quantitative analysis of small angle neutron scattering data from montmorillonite dispersions

A new model is presented which can describe quantitatively the small angle neutron scattering from montmorillonite-type clay dispersions and polymer-clay nanocomposites. The model is shown to be able to describe well the data from a series of dilute montmorillonite in water dispersions in which the deuterium content of the water phase is varied. The fits combined with information from other techniques suggest strongly that H-D exchange occurs in the montmorillonite-water dispersions. Deviations from Q⁻² behaviour often observed experimentally for clay dispersions are convincingly explained by the presence of a small proportion of tactoids.