Polymer–Clay Nanocomposites Exhibiting Abnormal Necking Phenomena Accompanied by Extremely Large Reversible Elongations and Excellent Transparency

Soft and transparent polymer–clay nanocomposites (see figure), consisting of hydrophobic poly(2-methoxyethylacrylate) and hydrophilic inorganic clay, with a unique clay-network morphology have been synthesized by in situ free-radical polymerization. The nanocomposites exhibit the first observation of abnormal necking behavior accompanied by extremely large reversible elongation (1000–3000 %) and excellent optical transparency, regardless of the clay content (1–30 wt %).