Effective intercalation and exfoliation of nanoplatelets in epoxy via creation of porous pathways

A new surface modification approach for improving intercalation and exfoliation efficiency of layered nanoplatelets is introduced on the basis of alpha-zirconium phosphate (alpha-ZrP) nanoplatelets. The intercalation of alpha-ZrP nanoplatelets was carried out using a number of different organic surface modifiers and their combinations. It is found that porous pathways, which can be created by incorporating a combination of a linear long-chain amine and a bulky, short-chain amine as intercalating agents, can lead to speedier and more effective intercalation. Consequently, fully exfoliated polymer nanocomposites can be more easily prepared. The intercalation/exfoliation mechanisms accounting for the observed effectiveness are discussed.