The adsorption of tallow alkylammonium salts onto bentonite from the Lopburi province in Thailand, and the effect of surface wettability on the formation of polymer-clay nanocomposites are reported. We looked specifically at octadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (S18), a popular member of the tallow alkylammonium salt family. The adsorption of 518 onto the bentonite interlayer can be divided into three distinct stages depending upon the initial concentration of S18. These stages are (a) monolayer formation, (b) intermediate state of double layer formation and (c) double layer formation. A decrease in surface energy driven by drops in the values of the polar and dispersive components was observed as the amount of surfactant surface coverage increased. Using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), the critical surface energy (CSE) of organoclay was found to decrease as the amount of absorbed S18 increased. S18 organoclay with different degrees of surface coverage was used in a two-roll mill to prepare high-density polyetheylene (HDPE)-clay nanocomposites. The oxidized polyethylene wax (OWax) was used as a dispersing agent to promote the delamination of the organoclay platelets. The results from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) indicated a difference in the dispersing capability of the organoclay. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.