Significance of Interphase Depth and ClayAggregation/Agglomeration on the Young's Modulus of Nanocomposites

ABSTRACT To evaluate the Young's modulus of nanoclay‐reinforced polymers, a comprehensive modeling approach has been developed on the basis of the Halpin–Tsai model, incorporating nanoclay aggregation/agglomeration and interphase characteristics (modulus, thickness, and volume fraction). Experimental data from a range of samples have been employed to validate the accuracy of the proposed methodology. Furthermore, interphase properties can be inferred by comparing experimental results with theoretical predictions from the model. The aspect ratio, specific surface area, and effective volume fraction of layered nanoclays are assessed in samples containing both aggregated/agglomerated and dispersed nanofillers. The fundamental influences of interphase size and stiffness on the Young's modulus of systems are also explored. The findings demonstrate that the proposed method reliably predicts Young's modulus by accounting for the interphase's role in the nanoclay‐based system. The equations suggest that a higher proportion of layers in the aggregated phase ( q ) and a greater number of accumulated layers ( N ) result in a lower nanocomposite modulus. The nanocomposite modulus improves by 109% at q = 0.1, but q = 0.4 enhances the nanocomposite modulus by 88%. Also, a 116% improvement in the nanocomposite modulus is observed at N = 1, but N = 8 results in a lower enhanced modulus by 85%. The meaningful and logical influences of all parameters on the nanocomposite modulus justify the suggested methodology.