Intercalation and exfoliation relationships in melt-processed poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Mechanical properties are also reported; and the composite moduli were found to compare to theoretical predictions using the Halpin-Tsai theory based on aspect ratios determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental aspect ratios do not seem to correlate with the WAXS gallery shifts. This and other evidence suggest that exfoliation in melt-processed SAN/MMT composites is not explained by intercalation behavior.