Chapter 8 - Organoclay Hybrid Films With Improved Functionality

Abstract

Nanodimensional clay particles are considered to be interesting building blocks for preparing functional materials because of their high aspect ratio and chemical properties. The main interest is in their colloidal size and the permanent structural charge of the particles. Smectites or swelling clay minerals are naturally occurring nanomaterials that can be fully delaminated to elementary clay mineral sheets in dilute aqueous dispersion. These dilute aqueous smectite suspensions are well suited to convert into functional nanofilms. The functionalization is performed by ion exchange reaction with amphiphilic molecules carrying the desired functionality, such as chirality, two-photon absorption, energy transfer, optical nonlinearity, and magnetism, which are caused by the nature of the amphiphilic cations and the organization of both the amphiphilic molecules and elementary clay mineral platelets. Langmuir–Blodgett, spin coating, and layer-by-layer self-assembled techniques are commonly used to prepare such functional films. This chapter gives an overview of organoclay hybrid films highlighting their application potential.