Single montmorillonite layers and some multi-layer stacks (shown as intercalated layers) in the case of EPDM containing 3.0 phr organoclay are seen in a1 of Fig. 3; it
indicates that exfoliated and partially intercalated organo-montmorillonite layers coexisted in the directed blended EPDM/organoclay nanocomposite.
On the contrary, b1 of Fig. 4 clearly reveals many exfoliated layers and a few layer stacks in the extruded composite.
The a2 of Fig. 3 and b2 of Fig. 4 are the TEM images in a larger observation scales.
The layers of extrusion nanocomposite dispersed more uniformly and their
diameter is thinner than that of the directed blended nanocomposite.
The difference is due to the higher shear force during extrusion for extruded nanocomposites.