Chapter 3 - Clay Nanopapers

Abstract

Nanoclays are nanoparticles of layered mineral silicates consisting of a two-dimensional, 1-nm thick layer with exceptional mechanical properties. Inspired by the brick-and-mortar structure of nacre, clay nanopapers are a unique combination of clay nanoplatelets and polymers to construct superstrong nanocomposite materials with very high loading of inorganic particles by a bottom-up approach. Over the past decade, various assembly techniques have been developed to create these advanced materials with structural flexibility to be tuned for specific applications. An emphasis is placed on layer-by-layer assembly techniques enabling more precise thickness control at the nanoscale and allowing researchers to manipulate properties of nanopapers by using a wide variety of species including nanoparticles and polymers to achieve comparable strength and modulus to those of nacre.