Effect of organoclay impurities on mechanical properties of EVA-layered silicate nanocomposites

The purification process of commercial organoclays and the beneficial effect of the impurities removal on the mechanical properties of the EVA exfoliated and intercalated nanocomposites are described in this paper. Mechanical properties such as Young modulus are improved, without any change in morphology in the exfoliated nanocomposites and an improvement of intercalation degree in the intercalated nanocomposite as demonstrated by rheological test is observed.