The purification process of commercial organoclays and the beneficial effect of the impurities removal on the mechanical properties of the EVA exfoliated and intercalated nanocomposites are described in this paper. Mechanical properties such as Young modulus are improved, without any change in morphology in the exfoliated nanocomposites and an improvement of intercalation degree in the intercalated nanocomposite as demonstrated by rheological test is observed.

The most pressing requirements in the present and future predictable scenarios for materials and technologies, concern energy saving, natural resources preservation, and minimization of environmental impact. Composite polymer materials can play a major role in energy saving in the transport sector which is of primary strategic importance for industrial, commercial, and leisure activities. However, one of the main concerns in using polymer composites is their flammability. In order to harvest all the remarkable economic and environmental savings connected with the use of the advanced polymer composites already available or under development, the flammability issue has to be addressed properly. Flame retardants are intended to slow down or to stop the polymer combustion process. This article intends to give a wide overview of polymer flammability, from the fire‐retardant action to the latest strategies developed to meet the fire regulation requirements.