ABSTRACT
A filler (nanofiller) is introduced in polymers quite often with the purpose of increasing the stiffness of the latter. This effect is called polymer composites (nanocomposites) reinforcement and it is characterized by reinforcement degree Ec/Em (En/Em), where Ec, En, and Em are elasticity module of composite, nanocomposite, and matrix polymer, respectively. The indicated effect significance results into a large number of quantitative model developments, describing reinforcement degree: Micromechanical [1], percolation [2], and fractal [3] ones. The principal distinction of the indicated modes is the circumstance that the first ones take into consideration filler (nanofiller) elasticity modulus and the last two do not. The percolation [2] and fractal [3] models of reinforcement assume that filler (nanofiller) role comes to modification and fixation of matrix polymer structure. Such approach is obvious enough, if the difference of elasticity modulus of filler (nanofiller) and matrix polymer are to be taken into consideration. So, in this chapter of nanocomposites, low density polyethylene/Na+- montmorillonite, the matrix polymer elasticity modulus makes up to 0.2 GPa [4] and nanofiller 400420 GPa [5], that is the difference makes up more than three orders. It is obvious that at such conditions, organoclay strain is practically equal to zero and nanocomposite behavior in mechanical tests is defined by polymer matrix behavior.
