Modeling film formation of polymer-clay nanocomposite particles

Polymer films may be formed by drying aqueous suspensions of colloidal polymer particles (latexes) on a substrate. Higher-performance films may be obtained by using nanocomposite particles in the latexes. In particular, polymer-clay nanocomposites show good potential in producing stiff, optically transparent, scratch-resistant coatings. The final film must be continuous (i.e., crack-free). This work predicts the minimum temperature, relative to the glass-transition temperature, at which a given suspension forms a crack-free nanocomposite film. The model extends a previous model for film formation with inclusion-free latexes (Routh, A. F.; Russel, W. B. Langmuir 1999, 15, 7762-7773). The inclusions are modeled as rigid cylinders, and the polymer is modeled as linearly viscoelastic. The major term arising in the extended model is the interfacial shear stress between the polymer and the inclusions. Film formation slows as the shear stress increases, and this effect is proportional to the magnitude of the stress, the inclusion volume fraction, and the inclusion aspect ratio.