Montmorillonite silicate nanolayers

Silicate nanolayers, which are widely used in polymer clay nanocomposites (PCNs), are montmorillonites from the smectite family, that is, 2 1 phyllosilicates composed of octahedral and tetrahedral crystalline sheets. The octahedral sheet consists of hydroxyl groups as well as oxygen, aluminum, iron, and magnesium atoms. On the other hand, the tetrahedral sheet comprises a central silicon atom and four oxygen atoms or hydroxyl groups [5]. The structure of 2 1 phyllosilicates is shown in Figure 21.1. 

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