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1. Product Commercialization One Nanostep at a Time
Karl Kamena
Southern Clay Products
3. Murphy’s Corollary #1 “Nothing ever gets built on schedule or within budget.”
4. FF Conference-2002 “Timing-wise, I believe we’re still a few years away from a robust market…yes, I do believe there will be a nano in your future.”
5. Murphy’s Corollary #2 “To spot the expert, pick the one who predicts the job will take the longest and cost the most.”
6. FF Conference-2004 Developing products and technologies from concept to the production floor
Evolving nanocomposite products and applications
Commercialization timelines
7. SOUTHERN CLAY PRODUCTS A Global Leader in
Functional, Specialty Natural and
Synthetic Smectite Clays”
8. SCP’s Rheological Additives
11. Nanocomposites at SCP Began early 90’s with resin suppliers
SCP clay experts (knowledge)
Partner with resin suppliers expertise (knowledge)
Provide clays to nanocomposite technology developers
Partner with other interested parties
12. Nanocomposites Concept The incorporation of single-digit percentages of high surface-area nanoclays into host polymer systems improves the performance of the specific polymer matrix without significant deterioration of properties.
13. Nanocomposite Benefits Lower Density
Reinforcement
Increased Dimensional Stability
Increased HDT
Improved Barrier Properties
Synergistic Flame Retardant Approach
Increased melt strength
Thermoplastic Recyclable
14. Clay Terminology Bentonite
A rock
A mixture of several minerals (one is smectite)
Billions of tons worldwide
Smectite
Component of bentonite
Known as a 2:1 layered clay
Clays in the smectite family
Montmorillonite (di-octahedral)
Hectorite (tri-octahedral)
Others
18. Smectite Aggregate
19. Key Properties of Montmorillonite Shape: Platelet
Size: 1nm thick, 75-150 nm across
Charge: unit cell 0.5-0.75 charge 92 meq/100g clay
Surface Area: >750 m2/g
High Modulus: ~170 GPa
Particle: robust under shear, not abrasive
20. Smectite Clay Chemistry Smectite (dioctahedral)
2-dimensional arrays of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra and 2-dimensional arrays of aluminum- or magnesium-oxygen-hydroxyl octahedra
21. Organoclay Chemistry
22. Quat Ion Exchanged Montmorillonite
25. Cloisite® 93A (90 MER)
29. The dispersed phase MMT is mixed with the resin by melt blending or extruding.
Four separate or combinations of mixtures can result:
- Tactoid: polymer encapsulates stacks of MMT platelets.
- Intercalate: polymer chains enter between MMT parallel platelets.
- Disordered intercalate: the MMT platelets are not parallel.
- Delaminated or Exfoliated: MMT platlets separated and dispersed in the resin.
The dispersed phase MMT is mixed with the resin by melt blending or extruding.
Four separate or combinations of mixtures can result:
- Tactoid: polymer encapsulates stacks of MMT platelets.
- Intercalate: polymer chains enter between MMT parallel platelets.
- Disordered intercalate: the MMT platelets are not parallel.
- Delaminated or Exfoliated: MMT platlets separated and dispersed in the resin.
31. Murphy’s Corollary #3 If it works in theory, it won’t work in practice.
If it works in practice, it won’t work in theory.
33. The Processing Challenge SCP provides Cloisite as a powder with a mean of about 8?m particle size.
Extrusion is used to melt blend the powder with the resin.
In each particle of powder there are more than 3000 platelets.
The processing challenge is to disperse not only the powder particles but also the platelets.
Dispersion to individual platelets is needed to take advantage of the high aspect ratio (>50) and high surface area (>750m2/gm) of MMT. SCP provides Cloisite as a powder with a mean of about 8?m particle size.
Extrusion is used to melt blend the powder with the resin.
In each particle of powder there are more than 3000 platelets.
The processing challenge is to disperse not only the powder particles but also the platelets.
Dispersion to individual platelets is needed to take advantage of the high aspect ratio (>50) and high surface area (>750m2/gm) of MMT.
34. Nanocomposite Exfoliation
35. This figure proposes a mechanism for nanocomposite formation based upon a combination of chemical compatibility and processing. Not all comments are based on this study.
Case 1, Compatible Clay Treatment and Resin Chemistry:
- Most any processing condition (except a single screw extruder will yield delamination and dispersion.
- The platelets almost explode to come apart.
- Example is PA6 and Cloisite 30B.
Case 3, Clay Treatment Not Compatible with Resin Chemistry:
- Process changes can help reduce the size of the intercalant, but condition changes (to date) do not led to delamination and dispersion.
- Example is PP and standard organoclays.
Case 2, Partially Compatible Clay Treatment and Resin Chemistry:
- Varying extruder conditions and screw design can improve delamination and dispersion.
- Examples are PA6 and Cloisite 15A and PP and Cloisite 15A with maleated PP.
This figure proposes a mechanism for nanocomposite formation based upon a combination of chemical compatibility and processing. Not all comments are based on this study.
Case 1, Compatible Clay Treatment and Resin Chemistry:
- Most any processing condition (except a single screw extruder will yield delamination and dispersion.
- The platelets almost explode to come apart.
- Example is PA6 and Cloisite 30B.
Case 3, Clay Treatment Not Compatible with Resin Chemistry:
- Process changes can help reduce the size of the intercalant, but condition changes (to date) do not led to delamination and dispersion.
- Example is PP and standard organoclays.
Case 2, Partially Compatible Clay Treatment and Resin Chemistry:
- Varying extruder conditions and screw design can improve delamination and dispersion.
- Examples are PA6 and Cloisite 15A and PP and Cloisite 15A with maleated PP.
36. Dispersion Mechanism This figure continues the proposed mechanism.
Particles of organoclay, with >3000 platelets, fracture to ribbons of intercalants or tactoids. It is proposed this is a results of shearing stacks of platelets apart to make shorter stacks of platelets.
Ribbons reach a size where shearing no longer reduces the ribbon size (the number of platelets in a stack).
Platelets in the ribbons delaminate by peeling apart. This happens after more polymer chains enter the clay galleries and push the platelets further apart. At either some polymer concentration or some platelet separation distance, the platelets peel away from the ribbon to be dispersed as individual platelets. This figure continues the proposed mechanism.
Particles of organoclay, with >3000 platelets, fracture to ribbons of intercalants or tactoids. It is proposed this is a results of shearing stacks of platelets apart to make shorter stacks of platelets.
Ribbons reach a size where shearing no longer reduces the ribbon size (the number of platelets in a stack).
Platelets in the ribbons delaminate by peeling apart. This happens after more polymer chains enter the clay galleries and push the platelets further apart. At either some polymer concentration or some platelet separation distance, the platelets peel away from the ribbon to be dispersed as individual platelets.
37. A number of TEMs have been examined during this and other nanocomposite studies at SCP.
The small picture in the figure shows the result of particles being sheared to ribbons, stacks of many platelets more than 100nm thick. The ribbons seen in this TEM are common for Case 3 Nanocomposites.
TEM evidence of platelets peeling apart is not common, but has been seen multiple times with a representative TEM shown in the larger picture in the figure..
One of the regions where the platelets are peeling apart from the ribbon is outlined in the TEM. A number of TEMs have been examined during this and other nanocomposite studies at SCP.
The small picture in the figure shows the result of particles being sheared to ribbons, stacks of many platelets more than 100nm thick. The ribbons seen in this TEM are common for Case 3 Nanocomposites.
TEM evidence of platelets peeling apart is not common, but has been seen multiple times with a representative TEM shown in the larger picture in the figure..
One of the regions where the platelets are peeling apart from the ribbon is outlined in the TEM.
38. XRD Examples: 15A/PA6 Delamination dispersion is monitored by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
Four sample XRD are shown in the figure.
MMT with its ordered platy morphology causes x-rays to diffract indicating the distance from the top of one platelet to the top of the next platelet (Basal Spacing or D001 Spacing).
The organoclay Cloisite 15A has a d-spacing of about 32Ĺ. When Cloisite15A is compounded with PA6 in a single screw extruder, the peak intensity decreases, the peak shape broadens but the peak position remains at about 32Ĺ.
Co Rotating Low Shear and Medium Shear samples further decrease in size and show the platelets mover further apart, 34Ĺ and 38Ĺ, respectively.
The sample made in the Tangential Medium Shear extruder showed no XRD peak. The lack of XRD peak suggests either an exfoliated or an intercalated disordered nanocomposite. TEM is required to see what the platelet distribution looks like. Delamination dispersion is monitored by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
Four sample XRD are shown in the figure.
MMT with its ordered platy morphology causes x-rays to diffract indicating the distance from the top of one platelet to the top of the next platelet (Basal Spacing or D001 Spacing).
The organoclay Cloisite 15A has a d-spacing of about 32Ĺ. When Cloisite15A is compounded with PA6 in a single screw extruder, the peak intensity decreases, the peak shape broadens but the peak position remains at about 32Ĺ.
Co Rotating Low Shear and Medium Shear samples further decrease in size and show the platelets mover further apart, 34Ĺ and 38Ĺ, respectively.
The sample made in the Tangential Medium Shear extruder showed no XRD peak. The lack of XRD peak suggests either an exfoliated or an intercalated disordered nanocomposite. TEM is required to see what the platelet distribution looks like.
39. The TEM of the sample from the Single Screw extruder shows big ribbons that are of stacks of intercalated platelets.
The samples from the Co Rotating extruder show increasing dispersion as the ribbons get smaller and some single platelets can be seen, particularly in the sample from the Medium Shear extruder.
The sample from the Tangential Medium Shear extruder shows excellent delamination and dispersion. The TEM of the sample from the Single Screw extruder shows big ribbons that are of stacks of intercalated platelets.
The samples from the Co Rotating extruder show increasing dispersion as the ribbons get smaller and some single platelets can be seen, particularly in the sample from the Medium Shear extruder.
The sample from the Tangential Medium Shear extruder shows excellent delamination and dispersion.
41. Exfoliation in nylon and PP
42. Evolving Nanocomposite Products Polyamides
Polyolefins
Styrenics
Epoxies
UPR
TPU
PLA
EVA
Rubbers
Synergistic FR additive
Others
43. Evolving Application Areas Reinforcement
Thermal
Barrier
Synergistic Flame Retardant
44. Partnering Relationships-General Motors & Basell GM Research-go nano
TPO nanocomposites
Ran first experiment late ’97
JDA with SCP in ’98
1st generation technology & products
Compete with talc-filled TPO
45. Partnering Relationships-General Motors & Basell Commercial applications
M-Van Step Assist, 08/01
Impala side moldings, 02/04
Hummer H2 SUT trim, panels (05/04)
46. Impala side moldings
47. General Motors-Technical Challenges and Roadmap Different shrinkage rate
Different part thickness
Coloring recipe revisions
Developed and qualified new nanocomposite to meet requirements
48. General Motors/Basell/SCP-Critical Issue Surface defects
Painting problems
8 micron CLOISITE nanoclay
100-200 micron clay clumps
Causes?
Solutions?
49. General Motors/Basell/SCP-Critical Issue
Clay agglomeration caused by processing conditions
Clay feed position
Screw design/speed
Temperature
Pressure
50. General Motors/Basell/SCP-Critical Issue
Clay agglomeration resolved by processing conditions
Clay feed position
Screw design/speed
Temperature
Pressure
51. Murphy’s Corollary #4
New systems generate new problems
52. General Motors-more to come Additional applications
Exterior trim, range of models
Announcements not news
Second generation nanoproducts & developments
53. Commercialization Timelines
“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something.”
Plato (427-347 BC)
54. Others-more to come Additional products
Additional applications
Some nano announcements
Second generation nanoproducts & developments
55. SPE Plastics Engineering, May 2004 “Nanocomposites”;
“Microscopic Reinforcements Boost Polymer Performance”,
“Nanocomposites Market Starts To Pick Up Steam”,
“The long-awaited potential of nanocomposites is being realized”.
56. Plastic in Packaging, June 2004 “Nanocomposites: a world of opportunity?”
“Nanocomposite technologies are still in their infancy…there are promising opportunities for nanomaterials, which have the potential to offer flexible and rigid packaging producers improved properties at lower costs.”
57. Modern Plastics, August 2004 “Promise of compounds containing nanoclays becoming reality?”
“Nanocomposites have been the Next Big Thing in the plastics industry for several years now. What has been lacking in all that time is the killer application to prove out the hype.”
“What has happened instead is a slow trickle of relatively modest applications.”
58. Commercialization Timelines
Nano is happening now
One nanostep at a time
Part of the polymer system
Cost, performance, value
59. Commercialization Strategies
Pay attention
Get started (restarted)
Do something nano
One nanostep at a time
Multiple nanosteps
60. Karl’s Corollary
Do it right the last time, over and over again.
61. THANK YOU Karl Kamena
Visit us at www.nanoclay.com