Thickness, modulus and strength of interphase in clay/polymer nanocomposites

• The properties of polymer-nanoclay interphase in clay/polymer nanocomposites (CPN) were quantified.
• Ji and Pukanszky models were used to calculate the modulus and thickness of interphase.
• The calculations reveal the different properties of interphase from matrix and nanoclay.
• The interphase cannot be ignored in the final properties of nanocomposites.

The aim of the present work is to quantify the properties of interphase between the polymer matrix and the nanoclay in clay/polymer nanocomposites (CPN). Two micromechanics models, Ji and Pukanszky, are simply used to measure the modulus, strength and thickness of interphase by mechanical properties of nanocomposites. The suggested approach is applied to calculate and evaluate the interphase properties in various samples reported in the literature. The calculations clearly demonstrate the different properties of interphase compared to matrix and nanoclay phases. It is shown that the interphase usually has a significant thickness, modulus and strength in CPN which cannot be neglected in the final properties of nanocomposites.