Chemistry professor and T.C. Pipes endowed chair in micro and nanosystems at Louisiana Tech University Dr. Yuri Lvov recently conducted a symposium at the 241st Conference of the American Chemical Society (ACS). He described how he applied an eco-friendly and cost-efficient nano-material that could enhance the characteristics of plastics, paints and artificial composites.
The presentation described how to use clay nanotubes to render plastics, paints, epoxies and rubber stronger. It is also possible to incorporate chemical agents in the nanotubes to make them resistant to corrosion or microbials. He described the process of polymer doping with various dispersed clay nanoparticles. The clay is mixed with chemicals and then dispersed into nano particles.
The event was recently held in Anaheim, California, where Lvov was chief organizer and chairman of the Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites Symposium.
Other speakers at the event included Dr. David Mills, professor of biological sciences and director for the Center for Applied Learning to Yield Scientific Teaching (CATALyST) at Louisiana Tech, who presented a paper on polymetacrylate clay composites for enhanced bone cement for orthopedic implants. Students from the university presented five more papers.
Source: http://www.latech.edu