Nano composites or plastic compounds containing small amounts of plate-like mineral fillers in sub micron particle sizes have very interesting properties that can provide benefits in high barrier packaging as well as many other applications.
Nano composites can be produced by adding such fillers during polymerisation or in the compounding stage. The compouding route certainly is preferred due to limited volume demand. Interestingly the development of submicron fillers is still at an early stage. In fact, only recently nano clays without impurities which reduce properties have been developed. Such nano clays exhibits benefits without showing any degradation. Purification of clays increases cost. These nano clays are therefore expensive. However, their costs are coming down. RTP is one of the first company to commercially produce Nylon based nano composite material containing less than seven percentage of nano clay filler. Such a product offers enhanced barrier properties without affecting the clarity of films. Another company Ube in Japan has developed nano composite in Nylon in polymerisation reactor. The product developed by Ube is designed for automotive applications. Nano composites for development are focussed on polar polymers. Non polar polymers such as Polypropylene have lower interaction with nano clays. Nano clays are required to be surface treated for non polar polymers.