Composites Comprising a Polymer and a Layered Compound and Methods of Preparing and Using Same

Abstract

A method comprising extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and a layered compound to produce a composite, and orienting the composite to produce an oriented composite wherein the layered compound comprises natural clay, synthetic clay, natural colloid, synthetic colloid, natural sol, synthetic sol, natural gel, synthetic gel, natural fumes, synthetic fumes, or combinations thereof. A method of preparing an oriented film comprising extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and a clay to produce a nanocomposite, casting the nanocomposite into a film, and orienting the film in at least one direction.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An article produced from the composition made by the process of:
 extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and a layered compound to produce a composite; and   orienting the composite to produce an oriented composite;   wherein the layered compound is in the form of a colloid or colloidal dispersion;   wherein the colloid or colloidal dispersion comprises a dispersed phase and a continuous phase and further wherein the continuous phase is an aqueous solution; and   wherein the colloid or colloidal dispersion comprises colloidal borates, colloidal aluminates, colloidal phosphates, colloidal sulfates, colloidal sulfides, colloidal halides, or combinations thereof;   wherein the article comprises a film or a fiber.   
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13  having a Young's modulus that is increased when compared to an otherwise similar composite prepared in the absence of extrusion compounding and orientating. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 13  having a tensile strength at yield that is increased from 5% to 300% when compared to an otherwise similar composite prepared in the absence of extrusion compounding and orientating. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 13  comprising a film having a gloss 20° of from 10 to 90. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 13  comprising a film having a haze of from 0 to 20. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 13  comprising a film having an oxygen transmission rate that is reduced from 1.0% to 99.9% when compared to an otherwise similar composite prepared in the absence of extrusion compounding and orientating. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 13  comprising a film having a water vapor transmission rate that is reduced from 1.0% to 99.9% when compared to an otherwise similar composite prepared in the absence of extrusion compounding and orientating. 
     
     
         20 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An oriented film prepared by the method comprising:
 extrusion compounding a styrenic polymer and an organoclay wherein the organoclay comprises montmorillonite, to produce a nanocomposite;   casting the nanocomposite into a film;   orienting the film in at least one direction; and   wherein the styrenic polymer comprises substituted styrenes, alpha-methyl styrene, ring-substituted styrenes, p-methylstyrene, disubstituted styrenes, p-t-butyl styrene, unsubstituted styrenes, halogenated styrenes, alkylated styrenes, acrylonitrile, esters of methacrylic acid with alcohols having from 1 to 8 carbons, N-vinyl compounds, vinylcarbazole, maleic anhydride, compounds which contain two polymerizable double bonds, divinylbenzene, butanediol diacrylate, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         25 . The film of  claim 24 , wherein the styrenic polymer is present in an amount of from 50% to 99.9% by weight of the nanocomposite and wherein the clay is present in an amount of from 0.1% to 50% by weight of the nanocomposite. 
     
     
         26 . The film of  claim 24 , wherein the oriented film has a gloss 20° of from 10 to 90; a haze of from 0 to 20; an oxygen transmission rate that is reduced from 1.0% to 99.9% and a water vapor transmission rate that is reduced from 1.0% to 99.9% when compared to an otherwise similar composite prepared in the absence of extrusion compounding and orienting.