Nontronite-Starch based Nano-Composites and Applications

Abstract

Polymer nano-composites consist of two or more constituents with at least one being of nanoscale dimension. Being naturally abundant, affordable, non-toxic and biocompatible, clay-based minerals and biopolymers are advantageous to afford eco-friendly nanocomposites, especially useful for biological applications. Starch, a common polysaccharide, finds traditional use in the food industry, and has recently become relevant in several advanced technologies. Nontronite, an iron rich smectite clay, still remains underexplored in the context of nanocomposite preparation. This book chapter attempts to provide a brief overview of syntheses and applications of nanocomposites based on nontronite, starch and polysaccharide-clay.