TY - JOUR A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Li, Z. A1 - Wang, D.-Y. A1 - Schoenhals, Andreas T1 - Dielectric and flash DSC investigations on an epoxy based nanocomposite system with MgAl layered double hydroxide as nanofiller N2 - Nanocomposites based on MgAL layered double hydroxides (LDH) and an epoxy resin were prepared and investigated by a combination of complementary methods. As epoxy resin Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) was used with Diethylenetriamine as curing agent. The LDH was modified with taurine, which acts as an additional crosslinking agent due to its amine groups. The epoxy resin was cured in a presence of the nanofiller, which was added to the system in various concentrations. X-ray scattering, by combination of SAXS and WAXS was used to characterize the morphology of the obtained nanocomposites. These investigations show that the filler is distributed in the matrix as small stacks of ca. 10 layers. The molecular dynamics of the system, as probe for structure, was investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy. In addition to the - and -relaxation (dynamic glass transition), characteristic for the unfilled materials, a further process was found which was assigned to localized fluctuations of segments physically adsorbed or chemically bonded to the nanoparticles. The dielectric -relaxation is shifted to higher temperatures for the nanocomposites in comparison to the pure material but depends weakly on the content of nanoparticles. Further, for the first time Flash DSC was employed to a thermosetting system to investigate the glass transition behavior of the nanocomposites. The heating rates were converted in to relaxation rates. For low concentrations of the nanofiller the thermal data overlap more or less with that of the pure epoxy. For higher concentrations the thermal data are shifted significantly to higher temperatures. This is discussed in terms the cooperativity approach to the glass transition. KW - Nanocomposites KW - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy KW - Flash DSC PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2019.01.010 SN - 0040-6031 VL - 677 SP - 151 EP - 161 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-48218 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Qu, Xintong A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Competition of mobilization and Immobilization Effects in Epox-Based Nanocomposites N2 - Two epoxy-based nanocomposites with different nanofillers (layered double hydroxide and boehmite) were investigated employing temperature modulated DSC, flash DSC and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Detailed investigation on the molecular mobility of the two systems showed the effect of the fillers on the structure of the bulk epoxy matrix and the interface formed at the polymer/particle interface T2 - FOR 2021: Acting principles of Nano-Scaled Matrix Additives for Composite Structures CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 11.10.2019 KW - TMDSC KW - Nanocomposites KW - Rigid amorphous fraction KW - Boehmite KW - BDS PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-49287 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Leng, Jing A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Kang, N.-J. A1 - Wang, D-Y A1 - Wurm, A. A1 - Schick, C. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Influence of interfaces on the crystallization behavior and the rigid amorphous phase of poly(l-lactide)-based nanocomposites with different layered doubled hydroxides as nanofiller N2 - Based on the three-phase model of semi-crystalline polymers, we determined all phase fractions of the NiAl-LDH/PLLA nanocomposites in dependence on the concentration of the nanofiller. Moreover, the rigid amorphous fraction (RAF) was separated into the RAFcrystal and the RAFfiller unbiasedly. A detailed comparison to the related nanocomposite system MgAl-LDH/PLLA was made considering that Mg and Ni have different atomic weights. As a first result is was found that NiAl-LDH/PLLA displays a higher crystallization rate compared to MgAl-LDH/PLLA, which is related to the different morphologies of the two nanocomposite systems. For both systems RAFcrystal increases with increasing concentration of the nanofiller. This means in the case of the nanocomposite not each crystal produces the same amount of RAF, as often assumed. Also, RAFfiller increases with the concentration for both systems but in a different way. This is discussed considering again the different morphologies of both nanocomposites. KW - Polymer-based nanocomposites KW - Temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2019.121929 VL - 184 SP - 121929 PB - Elesevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-49557 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina T1 - Flash DSC investigations on nanocomposites and electrospun fibers containing nanoparticles N2 - It was found for inorganic/polymer nanocomposites that a so-called Rigid Amorphous Phase (RAF) is formed in the interfacial region by adsorption of polymer segments onto the nanoparticles. The segmental dynamics of RAF is expected to be altered, as compared to the pure matrix, which might percolate into the entire system, affecting the overall nanocomposite properties. Here, the structure and molecular mobility of epoxy-based PNCs with different nanofillers (layered double hydroxide and boehmite) was studied by a combination of calorimetric and X-Ray scattering techniques. Temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC) showed that depending on the nanofiller, RAF can reach up to 40 wt % of the system or, on the contrary, the overall mobility of the matrix might increase due to the presence of particles. Such contrasting results, including the high amount of RAF, which was never shown before for epoxy-based PNCs, emphasize the importance of interfaces. Additionally, glass transition and glassy dynamics were investigated by a novel technique, Flash DSC (heating rates up to 10 kK/s) employed for the first time to a thermosetting system and electrospun fibers, which did not result in their degradation. It was used to study both the vitrification kinetics and glassy dynamics of the PNCs, for instance further confirming the presence of RAF and its impact on the overall material properties. T2 - 4th Mettler Toledo Flash DSC conference CY - Zurich, Switzerland DA - 25.11.2019 KW - Flash DSC KW - Nanocomposites KW - Rigid amorphous fraction KW - TMDSC KW - BDS KW - Boehmite KW - Electrospun fibers PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-50067 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Gawek, Marcel A1 - Madkour, S. A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Confinement and localization effects revealed for thin films of the miscible blend Poly(vinyl methyl ether) / Polystyrene with a composition of 25/75 wt% N2 - Thin films (200-7nm) of the asymmetric polymer blend poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/polystyrene (PS) (25/75wt%) were investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS). Thicker samples ([Formula: see text]37 nm) were measured by crossed electrode capacitors (CEC), where the film is capped between Al-electrodes. For thinner films ([Formula: see text]37 nm) nanostructured capacitors (NSC) were employed, allowing one free surface in the film. The dielectric spectra of the thick films showed three relaxation processes ( [Formula: see text] -, [Formula: see text] - and [Formula: see text] -relaxation), like the bulk, related to PVME fluctuations in local spatial regions with different PS concentrations. The thickness dependence of the [Formula: see text] -process for films measured by CECs proved a spatially heterogeneous structure across the film with a PS-adsorption at the Al-electrodes. On the contrary, for the films measured by NSCs a PVME segregation at the free surface was found, resulting in faster dynamics, compared to the CECs. Moreover, for the thinnest films ([Formula: see text]26 nm) an additional relaxation process was detected. It was assigned to restricted fluctuations of PVME segments within the loosely bounded part of the adsorbed layer, proving that for NSCs a PVME enrichment takes place also at the polymer/substrate interface. KW - Thin polymer films KW - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2019-11870-3 SN - 1292-895X VL - 42 IS - 8 SP - 101, 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer AN - OPUS4-48651 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yin, Huajie A1 - B, Yang A1 - Chua, Y. Z. A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Carta, M A1 - Malpass-Evans, R A1 - McKeown, N A1 - Harrison, W A1 - Budd, P A1 - Schick, C A1 - Böhning, Martin A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Effect of backbone rigidity on the glass transition of polymers of in-trinsic microporosity probed by fast scanning calorimetry N2 - Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIMs) of high performance have developed as materials with a wide application range in gas separation and other energy-related fields. Further optimization and long-term behavior of devices with PIMs require an understanding of the structure-property relationships including physical aging. In this context the glass transi-tion plays a central role, but with conventional thermal analysis a glass transition is usually not detectable for PIMs be-fore their thermal decomposition. Fast scanning calorimetry provides evidence of the glass transition for a series of PIMs, as the time scales responsible for thermal degradation and for the glass transition are decoupled by employing ultrafast heating rates of tens of thousands K s-1. The investigated PIMs were chosen considering the chain rigidity. The estimated glass transition temperatures follow the order of the rigidity of the backbone of the PIMs. KW - Polymers of intrinsic microporosity KW - Fast scanning calormetry PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00482 SN - 2161-1653 VL - 8 IS - 8 SP - 1022 EP - 1028 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-48617 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Madkour, Sherif A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Molecular dynamics of the asymmetric blend PVME/PS revisited by broadband dielectric and specific heat spectroscopy: Evidence of multiple glassy dynamics N2 - The molecular mobility of the highly asymmetric miscible blend poly(vinyl methyl ether)/polystyrene was investigated by broadband dielectric (frequency range 10^-1 Hz – 10^9 Hz) and specific heat spectroscopy (frequency range 10^1 Hz – 10^4 Hz). The dielectric spectra revealed a complex molecular dynamic behavior, where three different relaxation processes were observed. At temperatures below the glass transition temperature an α´-relaxation was found, with an Arrhenius-like temperature dependence of its relaxation rates. It is assigned to localized fluctuations of the confined PVME segments within a frozen glassy matrix dominated by PS. Above the thermal glass transition temperature two processes with a VFT behavior of their relaxation rates were detected called α1- and α2-relaxation, both originating from PVME dipoles fluctuating in PS-rich environments, however with diverse PS concentrations. The relevant length scales for the processes are assumed to be different, corresponding to the Kuhn segment length for the former relaxation and to the CRR for the latter one. The observed multiple glassy dynamics result from spatial local compositional heterogeneities on a microscopic level. Additionally, SHS investigations were performed for the first time for this system, proving an existence of a fourth relaxation process (α3-relaxation) due to the cooperative fluctuations of both PS and PVME segments. The separation between the thermal α3- and dielectric α2-relaxation increases dramatically with increasing polystyrene concentration, proving that the thermal response is dominated by PS. KW - Polymer blends KW - Dynamic heterogeneity KW - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy KW - Specific heat spectroscopy PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.8b02697 SN - 0024-9297 VL - 52 IS - 4 SP - 1620 EP - 1631 PB - ACS Publications AN - OPUS4-47516 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Schönhals, Andreas A1 - Madkour, Sherif T1 - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy on miscible polymer blends in the bulk and in nanometer thick films - Comparison of the different confinement situations N2 - Broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range from 10-1 to 109 Hz is employed to revisit the segmental dynamics of the miscible blend system poly(vinyl methyl ether)/polystyrene (PVME/PS) in dependence on the composition firstly in the bulk state. Here especially the case of high polystyrene concentrations is considered. It is important to note that only the molecular dynamics of PVME segments as affected by PS is observed because the dipole moment of polystyrene is negligible. Three relaxation processes are found which are due to fluctuations of differently constrained or confined PVME segments. The degree of the confinement of PVME segments due to PS is discussed in dependence on the composition. Further a spatial confinement is considered by investigating thin films of the PVME/PS blend where the film thickness was varied from 100 nm down to 5 nm. Two concentrations of PVME/PS (50/50 wt% and 25/75 wt%) are investigated. To measure nanometer thick films a novel electrode system based on nanostructured electrodes was employed. Nanostructured electrodes can be considered as a cut-edge technology in dielectric spectroscopy. The relaxation spectra of the films showed multiple processes which are discussed in dependence on the film thickness. T2 - Spring Meeting of the American Physical Scociety CY - Boston, Ma, USA DA - 03.03.2019 KW - Polymer blends PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-47518 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ghasem Zadeh Khorasani, Media A1 - Silbernagl, Dorothee A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan A1 - Sturm, Heinz T1 - The effect of boehmite nanoparticles (gamma‐AlOOH) on nanomechanical and thermomechanical properties correlated to crosslinking density of epoxy N2 - We show that complex physical and chemical interactions between boehmite nanoparticles and epoxy drastically affect matrix properties, which in the future will provide tuning of material properties for further optimization in applications from automotive to aerospace. We utilize intermodulation atomic force microscopy (ImAFM) for probing local stiffness of both particles and polymer matrix. Stiff particles are expected to increase total stiffness of nanocomposites and the stiffness of polymer should remain unchanged. However, ImAFM revealed that stiffness of matrix in epoxy/boehmite nanocomposite is significantly higher than unfilled epoxy. The stiffening effect of the boehmite on epoxy also depends on the particle concentration. To understand the mechanism behind property alteration induced by boehmite nanoparticles, network architecture is investigated using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). It was revealed that although with 15 wt% boehmite nanoparticles the modulus at glassy state increases, crosslinking density of epoxy for this composition is drastically low. KW - Crosslinking density KW - Epoxy KW - Intermodulation KW - Atomic force microscopy KW - Nanomechanical properties KW - Boehmite nanoparticles PY - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-476050 SN - 0032-3861 SN - 1873-2291 VL - 164 SP - 174 EP - 182 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-47605 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Szymoniak, Paulina A1 - Schönhals, Andreas T1 - Rigid amorphous phase in polymer nanocomposites as revealed by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy and fast scanning calorimetry N2 - For inorganic/polymer nanocomposites a so-called Rigid Amorphous Phase (RAF) is formed in the interfacial region by adsorption of polymer segments onto the nanoparticles. The segmental dynamics of RAF is expected to be altered, as compared to the pure matrix, which might percolate into the entire system, affecting the overall nanocomposite properties. A combination of two relaxation spectroscopy techniques (Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) and Specific Heat Spectroscopy (SHS) in a form of Temperature Modulated DSC (TMDSC)) as well as Fast Scanning Calorimetry (FSC) was employed to investigate the structure and molecular mobility of nanocomposites based on Epoxy and Layered Doubled Hydroxides with different nanoparticle content. First, BDS investigations proved the existence of a process, which is present only for nanocomposites, assigned to the dynamics of polymer segments within RAF. Second, the amount of RAF was quantified by analyzing the change of specific heat capacity step of nanocomposites, comparing to the pure material. Thirdly, the glass transition of nanocomposites was studied with FSC, applying high heating rates (500-10 000 K/s). Considering that all techniques probe essentially the same molecular process, an activation plot was constructed, delivering a complete picture of the molecular mobility and structure of the polymer nanocomposites including RAF. T2 - American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting 2019 CY - Boston, MA, USA DA - 04.03.2019 KW - Nanocomposites KW - Rigid amorphous fraction PY - 2019 AN - OPUS4-47564 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -