Thin films of sodium montmorillonite clay and polyelectrolytes, created via layer-by-layer assembly, were designed with varying polymer thickness between clay layers to investigate the influence of clay spacing. The alternate deposition of polymers and clay leads to the assembly of a nanobrick wall structure that creates a tortuous pathway for gasses and proves to be highly impermeable. In an effort to tailor the thickness (or spacing) between clay layers, films with differing numbers of polymer layers between clay depositions were examined. Films were analyzed for their thickness, clay concentration, transparency, nanostructure, and oxygen barrier as a function of layers (or spacing) between clay depositions, revealing linear growth, optical clarity, and low OTR at 100 nm thick and containing only four clay layers. An optimal thickness between clay layers appears to exist for achieving the highest oxygen barrier LbL films (O2 Permeability < 1 � 10�21 cc(STP)�cm/(cm2�s�Pa)). This knowledge can ultimately minimize deposition steps, material use, and thin film fabrication times.

Effects of clay spacing in nanobrick wall gas barrier thin films

247th National Meeting (2014)

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