Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer/clay nanocomposites

Abstract

This article high-lights the history, synthetic routes, material properties, and scope of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/clay nanocomposites. These nanocomposites of EVAs are achieved with either unmodified or or-ganomodified layered silicates with different methods. The structures of the resulting polymer/inorganic nanocomposites have been characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The addition of a small amount of clay, typically less than 8 wt %, to the polymer matrix unusually promotes the material properties, such as the mechanical, thermal, and swelling properties, and increases the flame retardancy of these hybrids. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.