title: Nanoparticle dispersion in polymer nanocomposites by spin-diffusion-averaged paramagnetic enhanced NMR relaxometry.
abstract: We developed an analytical relationship between nuclear magnetic relaxation and interparticle spacings in polymer nanocomposites filled with paramagnetic-impurity-containing clay nanoparticles. Using (1)H NMR relaxometry, clay nanoparticle dispersion was quantified and agrees with interparticle spacing distributions determined from statistical analysis of TEM images. Some information on the overall quality of clay dispersion is revealed. This work offers a new approach and new insights into nanoparticle dispersion in polymer nanocomposites.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 801 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA. bxu6@gatech.edu.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leisen
authors.forename: Haskell W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Beckham