Super gas barrier nanocoatings have recently been demonstrated by combining polyelectrolytes and clay nanoplatelets with layer-by-layer deposition. These thin films match or exceed the gas barrier of SiO<sub>x</sub> and metallized films, but they are relatively stiff and lose barrier with significant stretching (≥ 10% strain). In an effort to impart stretchability, hydrogen-bonding polyglycidol (PGD) layers were added to an electrostatically bonded thin film assembly of polyethylenimine (PEI) and montmorillonite (MMT) clay. Hydrogen bonding allowed the film to retain barrier at 10% strain. More recently, a 20 BL all-polymer film of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was able to survive 100% strain, while maintaining a 5X improvement in the gas barrier of 1.5 mm thick natural rubber. The ability to prevent cracking and preserve gas barrier at such high strains provides a tremendous opportunity for reducing weight and improving barrier of elastomeric materials.

Stretchable gas barrier achieved with partially hydrogen-bonded multilayer nanocoating

249th National Meeting (2015)

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