title: Mechanical reinforcement of epoxy with self-assembled synthetic clay in smectic order.
abstract: Epoxy films containing self-assembled 2D colloidal α-zirconium phosphate nanoplatelets (ZrP) in smectic order were prepared using a simple, energy-efficient fabrication process suitable to industrial processing. The ZrP nanoplatelets form a chiral smectic mesophase with simultaneous lamellar order and helical arrangements in epoxy. The epoxy nanocomposite films are transparent and flexible and exhibit exceptionally high tensile modulus and strength. The findings have broad implications for development of multifunctional materials for engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering and ‡Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University , College Station, Texas 77843, United States.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kevin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Chien-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Daehak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muliana
authors.forename: Ramanan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishnamoorti
authors.forename: Riichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Hung-Jue
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sue