Resources

Downloadable tools, templates, and a glossary of key nanoclay terms for engineers, formulators, and procurement teams.

Downloadable Tools

Procurement Checklist

A step-by-step checklist covering supplier qualification, specification review, sample evaluation, and purchase order terms for nanoclay procurement.

Coming Soon

Test Panel Datasheet Template

A blank datasheet template for recording XRD, TGA, BET, CEC, and particle size results when evaluating nanoclay samples from different suppliers.

Coming Soon

Glossary of Key Terms

Term	Definition
CEC	Cation Exchange Capacity — the total capacity of a clay to exchange cations, measured in milliequivalents per 100 grams (meq/100g). Higher CEC indicates more active exchange sites and greater capacity for organic modification. Na-montmorillonite typically has 80–120 meq/100g.
BET	Brunauer-Emmett-Teller — a method for measuring specific surface area by nitrogen gas adsorption. Reported in m²/g. Higher BET surface area generally correlates with better dispersion potential in polymer matrices.
XRD	X-Ray Diffraction — the primary technique for measuring basal spacing (d-spacing) of layered clays. The d₀₀₁ peak position tells you whether clay is unmodified (~1.2 nm), intercalated (1.8–4 nm), or exfoliated (no peak).
TGA	Thermogravimetric Analysis — measures weight loss as a function of temperature. Used to quantify organic modifier content in organoclays and determine thermal stability onset.
d-spacing	The interlayer distance between clay platelets, measured by XRD in nanometers. Larger d-spacing indicates successful intercalation or modification.
TRL	Technology Readiness Level — a 1–9 scale measuring maturity of a technology from basic research (TRL 1) to proven in operational environment (TRL 9).
MMT	Montmorillonite — the most widely used nanoclay mineral, a 2:1 layered aluminosilicate belonging to the smectite group.
OMMT	Organo-Modified Montmorillonite — montmorillonite with organic cations (typically quaternary ammonium salts) exchanged into the interlayer, increasing d-spacing and improving compatibility with organic polymers.
Tactoid	A stack of clay platelets that remain aggregated together. Fewer tactoids and more individual platelets (exfoliation) generally means better performance.
Exfoliation	Complete separation of individual clay platelets (~1 nm thick) from their stacked arrangement. The gold standard for nanocomposite performance but difficult to achieve completely in practice.
Intercalation	Insertion of polymer chains or organic molecules between clay platelets, increasing d-spacing but not fully separating the layers.
REACH	Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals — EU regulation governing chemical substances. Nanomaterials may have additional registration requirements.
OTR	Oxygen Transmission Rate — measures barrier performance of films and coatings. Nanoclay addition typically reduces OTR by creating a tortuous path for gas molecules.
Aspect Ratio	The ratio of platelet diameter to thickness. Higher aspect ratios (>100) improve barrier and mechanical reinforcement. Montmorillonite platelets are typically 1 nm thick and 100–500 nm in diameter.