Scheme for creating stable dispersions from

In this paper, we use both numerical and analytical self-consistent field (SCF) models to isolate a robust scheme for creating stable dispersions from polymers and clays that are immiscible. Specifically, we show that adding a small fraction of end-functionalized polymers to a melt can lead to the formation of exfoliated structures, where the clay sheets are uniformly dispersed within the polymer matrix. Our findings reveal that the ideal pol eric candidates for creating stable exfoliated composites are those that would constitute optimal steric stabilizers for colloidal suspensions. This prediction provides new design criteria for fabricating polymer/clay composites with the... 

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