Tuning Polymer Nanocomposite Morphology: AC Electric Field Manipulation of Epoxy–Montmorillonite (Clay) Suspensions

Abstract

AC electric field alignment (see Figure) offers a route to composite films with unusual physical properties, in numerous geometries and applicable to a wide range of organically modified layered silicates. Exchangeable organic cations on the aluminosilicate surface are suspected to cause the induced dipole. Orientational, compositional, and translational control of nanoparticles, paralleling efforts in electric field‐trapping and traveling wave applications, could be achieved.