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Donald R Paul - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Morphology and properties of polypropylene nanocomposites based on a silanized organoclay
Polymer, 2011Co-Authors: M.w. Spencer, D L Hunter, B. W. Knesek, Donald R PaulAbstract:A silanized organoclay (s-M2(HT)2) was prepared by reaction of trimethoxyphenyl silane with an organoclay with a M2(HT)2 surfactant structure. Nanocomposites were formed from polypropylene (PP) and a blend of PP and maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) and the M2(HT)2 and s-M2(HT)2 Organoclays by melt processing to explore the extent of exfoliation and the mechanical properties. Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with detailed particle analysis were used to determine the effect of the organoclay used and the PP-g-MA compatibilizer on exfoliation and mechanical, rheological, and thermal expansion properties. The PP/s-M2(HT)2 nanocomposites have higher particle densities than the PP/M2(HT)2 nanocomposites though the aspect ratio remains the same. Platelet dispersion is significantly improved by using PP-g-MA compatibilizer for both Organoclays. The rheological properties and the relative modulus improve for the PP/s-M2(HT)2 nanocomposites but not to the same degree as either organoclay in a PP-g-MA compatibilized matrix. The thermal expansion properties, however, are not improved by using the s-M2(HT)2 organoclay. The s-M2(HT)2 organoclay is less prone to agglomeration during extrusion than the M2(HT)2 organoclay.
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polymer nanocomposites from Organoclays structure and properties
Macromolecular Symposia, 2011Co-Authors: Lili Cui, Donald R PaulAbstract:Summary: Polymer nanocomposites formed from organically modified montmorillonite offer the promise of greatly improved properties over those of the matrix polymer, provided the organoclay can be dispersed, or exfoliated, into the polymer matrix to generate high aspect ratio particles. The exfoliation of Organoclays in two series of ethylene-based polymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers and sodium ionomers of ethylene-methyacrylic acid copolymers, is described along with the properties of these nanocomposites.
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effect of organoclay purity and degradation on nanocomposite performance part 1 surfactant degradation
Polymer, 2008Co-Authors: Dimitri M Khramov, D L Hunter, P J Yoon, Christopher W. Bielawski, Donald R PaulAbstract:Abstract The alkylammonium surfactants used to form commercial Organoclays are known to begin to degrade at temperatures below the typical melt processing temperatures of some polymers. In this study, the thermal stability and degradation of various surfactants and their corresponding Organoclays were investigated. Several factors, such as surfactant type and excess surfactant in the organoclay, that affect the thermal stability of surfactants on Organoclays are explored. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the decomposition products. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used as the primary method to characterize the thermal stability of these surfactants and Organoclays; the neat surfactants lose mass more rapidly, at a given temperature, than the corresponding organoclay. Washing the organoclay with methanol proved to be an effective way to remove the excess surfactant from the clay galleries. Such purification generally improves the thermal stability of the as-received Organoclays. Depending on the availability of residual halide anions in the organoclay, the Organoclays decompose via either SN2 nucleophilic substitution or Hoffmann elimination pathways.
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effect of organoclay structure on morphology and properties of nanocomposites based on an amorphous polyamide
Polymer, 2008Co-Authors: Donald R PaulAbstract:Abstract An amorphous polyamide (a-PA) and three Organoclays, M 3 (HT) 1 , M 2 (HT) 2 and (HE) 2 M 1 T 1 , were melt processed to explore the effect of the organoclay structure on the extent of exfoliation and properties of these nanocomposites. Wide angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and stress–strain behavior were used to determine the degree of exfoliation of the nanocomposites. For quantitative assessment of the structure of the nanocomposites, a detailed particle analysis was made to provide various averages of the clay dimensions and aspect ratio. The results evaluated from different methods were generally consistent with each other. Nanocomposites based on the Organoclays with one alkyl tail and hydroxyl ethyl groups gave well-exfoliated structures and high matrix reinforcement while nanocomposites from two-tailed organoclay contain a considerable concentration of intercalated stacks. Nanocomposites from the Organoclays with one alkyl tail showed slightly better exfoliation and matrix reinforcement than those from the Organoclays with hydroxyl ethyl groups. The organoclay structure trends for a-PA are analogous to what has been observed for nylon 6; this suggests that a-PA, like nylon 6, has good affinity for the pristine silicate surface of the clay leading to better exfoliation and enhanced mechanical properties with one-tailed organoclay than multiple-tailed organoclay. Furthermore, heat distortion temperatures were predicted from the dynamic mechanical properties of nanocomposites.
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morphology and properties of nanocomposites formed from ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers and Organoclays
Polymer, 2007Co-Authors: Lili Cui, Donald R PaulAbstract:Abstract A series of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, EVA, containing 0–40% VA and three Organoclays, M 2 (HT) 2 , M 3 (HT) 1 and (HE) 2 M 1 T 1, were melt processed to explore the relationship between the polarity of the polymer matrix and the organoclay structure on the extent of exfoliation and properties of the resulting nanocomposites. The degree of exfoliation of the nanocomposites was evaluated by TEM, WAXS, and mechanical testing. Quantitative particle analyses of TEM images were made to give various averages of the clay dimensions and aspect ratio. The results from different techniques were generally consistent with each other. These EVA copolymer nanocomposites show dramatically improved exfoliation of the organoclay as the VA content is increased. Nanocomposites based on the organoclay with two alkyl tails always gave better exfoliation than those based on the Organoclays with a single tail at all VA levels; however, the relative advantage of the two tails versus one tail seems to diminish with increased VA level. The predictions of tensile modulus using a simple composite model based on Halpin–Tsai equations show rather good agreement with the experimental data.
Ray L. Frost - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Thermal analysis and application of Organoclays for water purification
Science & Engineering Faculty, 2012Co-Authors: Yuri Park, Godwin A. Ayoko, Ray L. FrostAbstract:In recent years, Organoclays have become widely used in many industrial applications, and particularly they have been applied as adsorbents for water purification (de Paiva et al., 2008; Zhou et al., 2008; Park et al., 2011). When the Organoclays are enhanced by intercalation of cationic surfactant molecules, the surface properties are altered from hydrophilic to highly hydrophobic. These changes facilitate their industrial applications which are strongly dependent on the structural properties of Organoclays (Koh and Dixon, 2001; Zeng et al., 2004; Cui et al., 2007). Thus a better understanding of the configuration and structural change in the Organoclays by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) is essential. It has been proven that the TG is very useful for the study of complex minerals, modified minerals, and nanomaterials (Laachachi et al., 2005; Palmer et al., 2011; Park et al., in press, 2011). Therefore, the current investigation involves the thermal stability of a montmorillonite intercalated with two types of cationic surfactants: dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DDTMA) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDDMA) using TG. The modification of montmorillonite results in an increase in the interlayer or basal spacing and enhances the environmental and industrial application of the obtained organoclay.
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near infrared and mid infrared investigations of adsorbed phenol on hdtmab Organoclays
Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2009Co-Authors: Rui Liu, Ray L. Frost, Wayde N MartensAbstract:Abstract X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), infrared Spectroscopy (IR) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) have been used to measure the adsorption of phenol on untreated montmorillonite and on hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) modified montmorillonite. The mid infrared spectra indicate that both the surfactant molecule and phenol enter the interlayer of Organoclays, replacing the interlayer cations. The higher concentration surfactant leads to a decrease in wavenumber of the bands of Organoclays and to increase in intensity. The near infrared spectra (9000–4000 cm −1 ) show a prominent band 8260 cm −1 , assigned to the combination result of the CH stretching vibrations of high concentration surfactant and absorbed phenol. The main band observed at 7090 cm −1 is assigned to the first fundamental overtone of the OH stretching vibrations at 3415 cm −1 for organoclay. The Organoclays are characterised by prominent bands situated between 5900 and 5700 cm −1 . Both the higher concentration of organic molecules and adsorbed phenol causing the near infrared spectra of organic clays to be more complex for spectra in the region from 4700 to 5500 cm −1 . The main band of 4535 cm −1 for montmorillonite shifts towards the lower wavenumber sites for higher concentration organoclay. The intensity of near infrared spectra generally rises with the value of surfactant concentration increasing, showing certain regularity. It is concluded that phenol is adsorbed to significantly greater amounts on the higher concentration Organoclays.
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changes in the surfaces of adsorbed para nitrophenol on hdtma organoclay the xrd and tg study
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2007Co-Authors: Qin Zhou, Hongping He, Ray L. Frost, Yunfei XiAbstract:Abstract Surfactant modified montmorillonitic clays synthesized by ion exchange using the hydrothermal reaction method have been compared using XRD and thermal analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the changes in the surface properties of Organoclays through expansion with surfactant loading. A polynomial relationship exists between the basal spacing and the CEC loading described by the equation y = 0.3232 x 2 + 0.2052 x + 1.2834 with R 2 = 0.9955 . Different arrangements of the surfactant molecules in the Organoclays are inferred from the changes in basal spacings. para-Nitrophenol also causes the expansion of the montmorillonite clay and affects the arrangements of the surfactant molecules within the clay layers. Changes in the surfactant molecular arrangements were analyzed by thermogravimetry. Additional thermal decomposition steps were observed when para-nitrophenol is adsorbed on the organoclay.
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a novel organoclay with antibacterial activity prepared from montmorillonite and chlorhexidini acetas
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2006Co-Authors: Hongping He, Weiping Shen, Dan Yang, Peng Yuan, Ray L. FrostAbstract:A series of novel Organoclays with antibacterial activity were synthesized using Ca-montmorillonite and Chlorhexidini Acetas (CA) by ion-exchange. The resultant Organoclays were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HRTG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Their antibacterial activity was assayed by so-called halo method. In the organoclay prepared at low CA concentration, CA ions within the clay interlayer adopt a lateral monolayer while a ‘kink’ state or a special state with partial overlapping of the intercalated CA in the Organoclays prepared at 1.0 – 4.0 CEC. HRTG analysis demonstrates that CA located outside the clay interlayer exists in all synthesised Organoclays, resulting from the complex molecular configuration of CA. The dramatic decrease of the surface adsorbed water and interlayer water is caused by the surface property transformation and the replacement of hydrated cations by cationic surfactant. These observations are supported by the results of FTIR. Antibacterial activity test against E. coli demonstrates that the antibacterial activity of the resultant Organoclays strongly depends on the content of CA. Meanwhile, the resultant organoclay shows a long-term antibacterial activity that can last for at least one year. These novel Organoclays are of potential use in synthesis of organoclay-based materials with antibacterial activity.
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Changes in the morphology of Organoclays with HDTMA+ surfactant loading
Applied Clay Science, 2006Co-Authors: Ray L. Frost, Dan Yang, Peng Yuan, Thor Bostrom, Loc Duong, J. Theo KloproggeAbstract:The detailed understanding of the interlayer structure of Organoclays is of importance in the design of organoclay based materials and their industrial applications. In this study, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) have been used to provide new insights into the interlayer structure and morphology of HDTMA+/montmorillonite Organoclays. XRD patterns show that thermal treatment has an important effect on the stability of Organoclays, reflected by significant changes in the basal spacing. TEM and SEM micrographs demonstrate that the Organoclays with lower surfactant packing density are mainly composed of irregular layer stacking with a number of curved organoclay layers, while those with higher surfactant packing density are mainly composed of regularly intercalated and flat layers. Variations of the interlayer distances exist in all Organoclays and are more pronounced in the Organoclays with lower surfactant packing density. This study demonstrates that not only the arrangement model of surfactant but also the morphology of organoclay strongly depend on the surfactant packing density within the montmorillonite interlayer space
Hongping He - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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changes in the surfaces of adsorbed para nitrophenol on hdtma organoclay the xrd and tg study
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2007Co-Authors: Qin Zhou, Hongping He, Ray L. Frost, Yunfei XiAbstract:Abstract Surfactant modified montmorillonitic clays synthesized by ion exchange using the hydrothermal reaction method have been compared using XRD and thermal analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the changes in the surface properties of Organoclays through expansion with surfactant loading. A polynomial relationship exists between the basal spacing and the CEC loading described by the equation y = 0.3232 x 2 + 0.2052 x + 1.2834 with R 2 = 0.9955 . Different arrangements of the surfactant molecules in the Organoclays are inferred from the changes in basal spacings. para-Nitrophenol also causes the expansion of the montmorillonite clay and affects the arrangements of the surfactant molecules within the clay layers. Changes in the surfactant molecular arrangements were analyzed by thermogravimetry. Additional thermal decomposition steps were observed when para-nitrophenol is adsorbed on the organoclay.
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a novel organoclay with antibacterial activity prepared from montmorillonite and chlorhexidini acetas
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2006Co-Authors: Hongping He, Weiping Shen, Dan Yang, Peng Yuan, Ray L. FrostAbstract:A series of novel Organoclays with antibacterial activity were synthesized using Ca-montmorillonite and Chlorhexidini Acetas (CA) by ion-exchange. The resultant Organoclays were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HRTG) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Their antibacterial activity was assayed by so-called halo method. In the organoclay prepared at low CA concentration, CA ions within the clay interlayer adopt a lateral monolayer while a ‘kink’ state or a special state with partial overlapping of the intercalated CA in the Organoclays prepared at 1.0 – 4.0 CEC. HRTG analysis demonstrates that CA located outside the clay interlayer exists in all synthesised Organoclays, resulting from the complex molecular configuration of CA. The dramatic decrease of the surface adsorbed water and interlayer water is caused by the surface property transformation and the replacement of hydrated cations by cationic surfactant. These observations are supported by the results of FTIR. Antibacterial activity test against E. coli demonstrates that the antibacterial activity of the resultant Organoclays strongly depends on the content of CA. Meanwhile, the resultant organoclay shows a long-term antibacterial activity that can last for at least one year. These novel Organoclays are of potential use in synthesis of organoclay-based materials with antibacterial activity.
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Influence of cationic surfactant removal on the thermal stability of Organoclays
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2005Co-Authors: Hongping He, Jannick Duchet, Jocelyne Galy, Jean-françois GérardAbstract:The microstructure, thermal stability, surface energy and swelling characteristics of two kinds of commercial Organoclays, before and after washing treatment with a mixture of H2O/ethanol, were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), wettability measurement and swelling measurement. This study demonstrates that the external-surface physically adsorbed surfactant can be removed after washing treatment, resulting in an increase in thermal stability and a decrease in surface energy of the resultant Organoclays. Organoclays are difficult to be introduced into a solvent when their surface energies are lower than that of the solvent. On the other hand, the organoclay with γorganoclay < γsolvent is easier to be swollen and expandable by the solvent. The swelling and basal spacing measurements of the Organoclays introduced into organic media indicate that the swelling factor and the interlayer swelling are two independent parameters. Both the polar character of the solvent and the swelling capacity of clay have a prominent effect on the interlayer swelling of the Organoclays.
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thermal characterization of surfactant modified montmorillonites
Clays and Clay Minerals, 2005Co-Authors: Hongping He, Dan Yang, Zhe Ding, Pen Yuan, Yunfei Xi, Ray L. FrostAbstract:The thermal stability of surfactant-modified clay plays a key role in the synthesis and processing of organoclay based nanocomposites. Differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric measurement (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used in this study to characterize the thermal stability of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) modified montmorillonites prepared at different surfactant concentrations. DSC shows that the molecular environment of the surfactant within the montmorillonite galleries is unique from that in the bulk state. The endothermic peak at 70-100 oC in the DTA curves of the modified montmorillonites is attributed to both the surfactant phase transformation and the loss of free and interlayer water. With an increase of surfactant packing density, the amount of water residing in the modified montmorillonite decreases gradually, reflecting the improvement of the hydrophobic property for organoclay. However, the increase of the surfactant packing density within the galleries leads to the decrease of the thermal stability of the Organoclays. With an increase of initial surfactant concentration for the preparation of Organoclays, the surfactant packing density increases gradually to a "saturated" state. It was found that the cationic surfactant was introduced into the montmorillonite interlayer not only by cation exchange but also by physical adsorption.
Shmuel Yariv - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Few introducing comments on the thermal analysis of Organoclays
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2011Co-Authors: Shmuel Yariv, Mikhail Borisover, Isaak LapidesAbstract:Organoclays are the adsorption products of organic matter by clay minerals. In modern technology, organoclay-based nanocomposites obtained by modifying Na-clay by primary adsorption of organic ammonium cations or long-chain cationic surfactants are widely used in different industries. They are potential candidates for serving as sorbents of different organic compounds by secondary adsorption. Organoclays are widely spread in the environment and are responsible for the colloid behavior of different environmental elements such as soils. This manuscript summarizes some of the basic knowledge on thermal analysis of Organoclays and reviews some of the recent studies carried out in our laboratory on Organoclays which occur in the environment, those applied in industry and of those obtained by secondary adsorption processes. Complexes in the environment or those used in industry are mainly of the smectite clay mineral montmorillonite and their thermal analysis in air is treated here.
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thermal treatment of Organoclays effect on the aqueous sorption of nitrobenzene on n hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium montmorillonite
Applied Surface Science, 2010Co-Authors: Mikhail Borisover, Isaak Lapides, Nadezhda Bukhanovsky, Shmuel YarivAbstract:Abstract The aim of this work was to examine the effect of thermal treatment on organoclay sorptive properties. Aqueous sorption of nitrobenzene used as a probe compound was studied on Na-montmorillonite and two types of HDTMA-montmorillonite (where HDTMA is n-hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium exchanged by 41 and 90% of the clay cation exchange capacity) heated in air at 150, 250, 360 and 420 °C. Mild heating of sorbents (at 150 °C) results in a distinct increase of their sorptive efficacy. Treatment of Organoclays at higher temperatures (250 and 360 °C) results in the significant sorbent changes as revealed by a C loss, decrease of a basal spacing and disappearance of symmetric and asymmetric stretching vibrations of CH2 but has a little impact on the sorptive efficacy (as compared with Organoclays treated at 150 °C). Hence, even a significant carbon loss in thermally treated Organoclays should not be necessarily linked to the loss of their sorptive potential. Further increase of the treatment temperature results in a decrease of a sorptive efficacy of all sorbents. Mild heating of Organoclays in air could be useful for improving their sorptive potential. This improvement is assumed to result from the weakening of water–sorbate competition for sorption sites on a mildly heated sorbent.
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Organic sorbate-organoclay interactions in aqueous and hydrophobic environments: sorbate-water competition.
Environmental Science & Technology, 2008Co-Authors: Mikhail Borisover, Zev Gerstl, Shmuel Yariv, Faina Burshtein, Uri MingelgrinAbstract:Sorption of nitrobenzene, phenol, and m-nitrophenol from water and n-hexadecane was measured on Na-montmorillonite and Organoclays in which 41 and 90% of the exchange capacity of the Na-clay was occupied by hexadecyltrimethylammonium. The strength of sorbate-sorbent interactions in n-hexadecane for all three sorbents was in the following order: nitrobenzene phenol > m-nitrophenol. The weakening of sorbate-sorbent interactions resulting from water-sorbate competition might be mitigated by interaction between the organic sorbate and sorbed water molecules. Since the more strongly interacting organic compounds are less susceptible to suppression of sorption in the presence of water, hydrating Organoclays may result in an increased differentiation between "weakly" and "strongly" interacting ("nonpolar" and "polar") compounds in the organoclay phase.
P J Yoon - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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effect of organoclay purity and degradation on nanocomposite performance part 1 surfactant degradation
Polymer, 2008Co-Authors: Dimitri M Khramov, D L Hunter, P J Yoon, Christopher W. Bielawski, Donald R PaulAbstract:Abstract The alkylammonium surfactants used to form commercial Organoclays are known to begin to degrade at temperatures below the typical melt processing temperatures of some polymers. In this study, the thermal stability and degradation of various surfactants and their corresponding Organoclays were investigated. Several factors, such as surfactant type and excess surfactant in the organoclay, that affect the thermal stability of surfactants on Organoclays are explored. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the decomposition products. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used as the primary method to characterize the thermal stability of these surfactants and Organoclays; the neat surfactants lose mass more rapidly, at a given temperature, than the corresponding organoclay. Washing the organoclay with methanol proved to be an effective way to remove the excess surfactant from the clay galleries. Such purification generally improves the thermal stability of the as-received Organoclays. Depending on the availability of residual halide anions in the organoclay, the Organoclays decompose via either SN2 nucleophilic substitution or Hoffmann elimination pathways.
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polymer matrix degradation and color formation in melt processed nylon 6 clay nanocomposites
Polymer, 2003Co-Authors: T D Fornes, P J Yoon, Donald R PaulAbstract:Abstract Nylon 6 nanocomposites based on various quaternary alkyl ammonium Organoclays were prepared by melt processing using a twin screw extruder. Dilute solution viscosity techniques were used to evaluate the level of polymer molecular weight degradation experienced during nanocomposite compounding; whereas colorimeter techniques were used to document color formation. In general, a significant reduction in nylon 6 matrix molecular weight was observed, which is believed to stem, in part, from reaction(s) between the surfactant of the organoclay and the polyamide chains. The level of degradation depends on both the type of nylon 6 material used and the surfactant chemistry in the organoclay. For a given organoclay, nanocomposites based on high molecular weight nylon 6 materials experience more matrix degradation, as well as color formation, than those based on low molecular weight materials; this is believed to arise from increased exposure of the organoclay surface to the nylon 6 owing to increased platelet exfoliation. Different Organoclays lead to different levels of polymer degradation and color formation, depending upon the level of unsaturation present in the organic surfactant; the higher the number of double bonds the greater the degradation and the deeper the color formation. The primary mechanism of degradation is believed to be thermo-oxidative. Melt mixing of nylon 6 with model compounds, long-chain alkenes, shows that the same mode of degradation i.e. via double bonds can be replicated. In addition to unsaturation effects, the presence of hydroxyl–ethyl groups, opposed to methyl groups, in the organoclay surfactant, results in more color. Isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted on the Organoclays to determine if thermal stability was a cause of molecular weight degradation; although, this relationship does not seem to exist, a direction correlation is observed between the organoclay degradation and nanocomposite modulus, or indirectly level of exfoliation. Use of antioxidant was found to reduce the amount of molecular weight loss. All evidence suggests that morphology and physical properties of nanocomposites formed from nylon 6 are not measurably affected by the reactions that lead to molecular weight degradation or color formation.
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effect of organoclay structure on nylon 6 nanocomposite morphology and properties
Polymer, 2002Co-Authors: T D Fornes, D L Hunter, P J Yoon, Henno Keskkula, Donald R PaulAbstract:Abstract A carefully selected series of organic amine salts were ion exchanged with sodium montmorillonite to form Organoclays varying in amine structure or exchange level relative to the clay. Each organoclay was melt-mixed with a high molecular grade of nylon 6 (HMW) using a twin screw extruder; some Organoclays were also mixed with a low molecular grade of nylon 6 (LMW). Wide angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and stress–strain behavior were used to evaluate the effect of amine structure on nanocomposite morphology and physical properties. Three surfactant structural issues were found to significantly affect nanocomposite morphology and properties in the case of the HMW nylon 6: decreasing the number of long alkyl tails from two to one tallows, use of methyl rather than hydroxy-ethyl groups, and use of an equivalent amount of surfactant with the montmorillonite, as opposed to adding excess, lead to greater extents of silicate platelet exfoliation, increased moduli, higher yield strengths, and lower elongation at break. LMW nanocomposites exhibited similar surfactant structure-nanocomposite behavior. Overall, nanocomposites based on HMW nylon 6 exhibited higher extents of platelet exfoliation and better mechanical properties than nanocomposites formed from the LMW polyamide, regardless of the organoclay used. This trend is attributed to the higher melt viscosity and consequently the higher shear stresses generated during melt processing.