| Abstract: | Styrene‐acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymer‐clay nanocomposite was synthesized by emulsion polymerization, which is the easiest method of intercalation (e.g., melt or solution intercalation). Existence of the intercalated polymer was verified by Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. From XRD, we confirmed the insertion of styrene‐acrylonitrile copolymer between the interlayers of clay, whose separation consequently becomes larger than that of the polymer‐free clay. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of the organic polymers was sustained. Using electrorheological (ER) fluids composed of intercalated particles and silicone oil, we observed typical ER behavior, such as higher shear stress in the presence of an electric field and increasing yield stress with particle concentration. We further observed the critical shear rate at which the ER fluids exhibit pseudo‐Newtonian behavior. |
