Polymer/clay composites have been an area of extensive research that has resulted in a several commercial products.  These composite materials typically rely upon exfoliation of layered, smectite clays, such that individual clay platelets are dispersed within a polymeric phase, generating a network which can transfer physical loads, and can serve to create both polymer crystallization and confinement.  A typical drawback of clay aerogels in comparison to silica aerogels is a higher thermal conductivity.  It was postulated that the thermal conductivities of clay aerogels could be reduced to levels comparable to that of silica aerogels through the incorporation of uniformly distributed bubbles of air of nearly unvarying diameters into the matrix.  A uniformly distributed aerogel matrix was achieved through the use of xanthum gum whose viscosity was controlled by varying the ionic strength of the gel.  The highest compressive modulus achieved was 3.0 MPa with a density of 0.0827 g/cm3.

Fabrication and properties associated with highly foamed polymer/clay aerogel materials

245th National Meeting (2013)

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