Abstract: A reinforced networked polymer/clay alloy composite is produced by contacting a monomer/clay mixture with a reinforcing agent. The monomer/clay mixture comprises a monomer, a cross-linking agent and clay particles. An initiator means is used to initiate polymerization of the monomer/clay mixture, while the cross-linking agent concurrently acts to network oligomeric and polymeric species formed during polymerization to produce a networked polymer/clay alloy in the presence of the reinforcing agent. The networked polymer/clay alloy is intimately integrated with the reinforcing agent such that, on exposure to water, the networked polymer/clay alloy swells with substantially no clay separating from the composite.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 15, 2003
Date of Patent:
May 18, 2004
Assignees:
Alberta Research Council Inc., Nilex, Inc.
Inventors:
Zhihong Zhou, John Donald Payzant, Walter Van Woudenberg