Polymer blends, composites and aerogel modification by innovative approaches

This dissertation covers a wide array of polymer science, from investigating the barrier properties of polymer blends for commercial products and their specifications to using novel approaches to incorporate glassy inorganic materials within a polymer matrix for high density data storage materials to using common materials in new ways to increase the use range of low density clay aerogels to using bioinspired chemistry to develop reinforcement of current materials and bone replacement materials.;Chapter 2 discusses the advances in oxygen barrier materials through innovative approaches to modifying the refractive index change induced by biaxial orientation by simple melt blending procedures. Chapter 3 discusses an approach to developing 3D data storage devices by the blending of common optical polymers with inorganic chalcogenide glasses. Chapter 4 discusses the vast mechanical improvement of a polymer/clay aerogel composite material by a simple dip coating procedure. Chapters 5--7 involve the use of biomineralization for various purposes. In Chapter 5 a polyethylene imine/clay aerogel is coated by a silica layer to impart vastly superior mechanical properties, while a layering approach modestly improves mechanical performance. In Chapter 6 a polyacrylic acid/clay aerogel is subjected to CaCO3 deposition, showing the ability to grow large amounts of CaCO3 in relatively short times. Chapter 7 discusses an electrophoretic mineralization approach to collagen hydrogels.