Characteristic Properties of Nanoclays and Characterization of Nanoparticulates and Nanocomposites

Clays have been one of the more important industrial minerals; and with the recent advent of nanotechnology, they have found multifarious applications and in each application, nanoclays help to improve the quality of product, economize on the cost and saves environment. The chapter describes key characteristics of nanoclays and their classification on the basis of the arrangement of “sheets” in their basic structural unit “layer”. Major groups include kaolin–serpentine, pyrophyllite-talc, smectite, vermiculite, mica and Chlorite. The structural, morphological and physicochemical properties of halloystite and montmorillonite nanoclays, representative of the 1:1 and 2:1 layer groups, respectively, are discussed as well. After briefly introducing the surface modification of clay minerals by modifying or functionalizing their surfaces and their incorporation into polymer matrices to develop polymer/clay nanocomposites, techniques that are being employed to characterize these nanoclays, in general, and the sample preparation for these techniques, in particular, are also reviewed in this chapter.