Direct polymer intercalation in single crystal vermiculite

A lightly brominated isobutylene bromomethylstyrene copolymer was directly intercalated into a single crystal of organically modified vermiculite. Polymer intercalation was monitored by X-ray diffraction, (XRD) and was confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of a cleaved polymer-intercalated crystal showed raised hemispheres on an otherwise flat background. Calculations show these hemispheres to consist of possible chain fractions or single and multiple chains, depending on the reaction time.