Elementis Specialties, Inc.

Rheox Inc.

Jacob Kaizerman

Mark D Ross

Clay/organic chemical compositions useful as additives to polymer, plastic and resin matrices to produce nanocomposites and nonocomposites containing such compositions

Organoclay/polymer compositions with flame retardant properties

This invention is of a composition comprised of a smectite clay modified with an organic chemical composition and a polymer. The composition consists of an organic chemical/smectite clay intercalate that has been ion-exchanged and reacted and intercalated with one or more quarternary ammonium compounds and an anionic material and further blended into a polymer resin to make a nanocomposite composition. This material can be blended into a wide variety of polymers. This kind of system gives improved dispersion over conventional organoclays, intercalates or hybrid clays described in the literature, especially in non-polar resins. The defined organoclay has been found to be highly dispersible in a variety of polymers, whether polar or non-polar.

Smectite clay/organic chemical/polymer compositions useful as nanocomposites

This invention is of a hybrid organoclay that consists of an organic chemical/phyllosilicate clay intercalate that has been ion-exchanged with quaternary ammonium compounds. Since this hybrid organoclay is hydrophobic, it can be washed in water to remove reaction salts and excess water soluble or water dispersible polymers to give a clean product via inexpensive means such as filtration. This allows a better dispersing composition to be prepared without the difficulties of isolation presented by prior art which uses energy intensive means to remove the bulk of the water from the final product and cannot be easily washed. In one aspect, the present invention provides a solid clay/chemical composition that comprises: (a) one or more smectite clays, (b) a quaternary ammonium compound which reacts via an ion exchange mechanism with the smectite clay, and (c) one or more non-anionic organic materials that intercalate with the clay. The invention is useful both as an ingredient to form nanocomposites and as a rheological additive.

Clay/organic chemical compositions useful as additives to polymer, plastic and resin matrices to produce nanocomposites and nanocomposites containing such compositions

Growing community of inventors

Bradley Beach, NJ, United States of America

Jacob Kaizerman