Mechanistic examination of pre-exfoliating confinement of surface-functionalized nanobeads within layered silicates

The approach used in present work allows achieving highly exfoliated state of layered silicate s through confinement of the charged nanobeads within the gallery of swollen pristine clay. The latter is principally promoted by ion exchange that involves polar functional groups on the surface of nanobeads and sodium cation in the interlayer gallery of layered silicates. Surface functionality of the nanobeads plays crucial role in establishment of strong interactions with silicate surface, and eventually, dispersion of individual silicate nanoplatelets.