In this study, saline water was used as a preintercalating agent for pristine clay surface to assist clay dispersion in one-step melt state process. The solution contains dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride salt in distilled water and was injected into the twin-screw extruder using a high pressure dosing pump. To investigate the effect of dissolution of alkyl salt on clay dispersion, two samples with the same compositions were prepared through both salt solution and pure water injection which was compared with organo-modified prepared sample. The resultant compounds were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamic rheological measurements (RMS). Tensile and notched-Izod impact properties of the samples were measured as well. The XRD results showed no peak for the sample containing 2 wt % pristine clay, prepared via injection of salt solution representing exfoliated microstructure. In addition, TEM images showed proper dispersion and distribution of clay platelets in the matrix. Furthermore, RMS results showed that the slop of the storage modulus has been declined and for the sample using saline, the variation was prominent as a result of network structure formation. Tensile results also showed an increase of tensile modulus in the range of about 22% for the sample containing 2 wt % clay. Izod impact strength in the sample prepared via injection of salt solution showed fracture energy comparable to neat polyethylene. Additionally, the crystallization data in terms of degree of crystallinity, melting, and crystallization temperatures of samples represented no noticeable change compared to neat polyethylene. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012