New models for yield strength of polymer/clay nanocomposites

In this paper, a new and simple model is presented for tensile yield strength of polymer/clay nanocomposites assuming the plate-like shape of silicate layers. Moreover, the accuracy of Pukanszky model which is initially developed for polymer composites filled with quasi-spherical particles is improved for silicate layered nanocomposites based on the suggested model. Many nanocomposites are provided from valid literature to estimate the accuracy of the proposed models and to calculate “k1” and “B1” parameters in the suggested equation and improved Pukanszky model, respectively. Furthermore, the developed models are joined to approximate the critical values of parameters which show the strengthening of polymer nanocomposites by nanoclay platelets. The large efficiency of the proposed approaches is confirmed, when the experimental data are compared with the calculations.