Polymer Nanocomposites Based on Talc

Abstract

In the last decades, materials based on polymers and talc particles have become one of the most promising and used nanocomposites, having suitable characteristics and properties that could be tailored satisfactorily to specific final applications. Particularly, talc particles have a nucleating capability that allows the induction of changes in the amount and type of crystalline phases, mainly when semicrystalline polymers are used as polymer matrices. This singular talc ability, particle intrinsic characteristics, possibility of modification, and the influence of processing method on dispersion/distribution, as well as macromolecules and particle orientation, make possible the development of nanocomposite with properties adjusted to specific requirements. The main objective of this chapter is to present the updated state-of-the-art in polymer nanocomposites containing talc particles. In this sense, this review comprises a complete analysis of the relationship between structure-properties-processing aspects. Initially, a general description of talc is included, analyzing the influence of geological origin on the main characteristics of this mineral. Moreover, the influence of talc characteristics such as particle morphology, size, and purity on nanocomposite final properties is analyzed, followed by the changes in structure that the processing of nanocomposites and talc modification induces on final parts. Even though it was demonstrated that nanocomposites containing talc particles have been obtained and fully characterized at laboratory and pilot scale, nowadays the massive production of these materials is one of the main challenges at industrial level to be faced in the next few years.