Highly extent exfoliated and intercalated silicone rubber (SR) nanocomposites based on natural montmorillonite (Cloisite Na+) and organically modified montmorillonite (Cloisite 30B and Cloisite 20A) were successfully prepared by melt-mixing technique. As indicated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, intercalation and exfoliation of the clay particles in the nanocomposites was achieved at less than 8 parts per hundred (phr) rubber by weight, irrespective of the initial interlayer spacing of the nanoclay particles. Cloisite 30B was spontaneously transformed into exfoliated nanostructures during the vulcanisation stage as suggested by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transforms infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results. [Continues.
