Polymer-based nanocomposites – Interplay between interfacial and bulk properties
- Different types of polymerbased nanocomposites (matrix materials: polyethylene, polypropylene, polylactide, polycarbonate, polystyrene) with a broad variety of nanofillers (fillers: layered silica, layered doubled hydroxides, POSS) are prepared where the concentration of the particles is varied. For layered fillers TEM images show both an intercalated and exfoliated morphology in dependence on the nanofiller and the matrix. All systems are studied in detail by dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) but also complementary methods like WAXS, SAXS, gas transport measurements, calorimetry, and FTIR spectroscopy are employed. Besides the dispersion, the interfacial region between the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix is crucial for the properties of the nanocomposites. Therefore, attention is paid to investigate this interfacial area by BDS because the polar groups of both the surfactant and compatibilizer are located close to the layers. For some systems it is found that the molecular mobilityDifferent types of polymerbased nanocomposites (matrix materials: polyethylene, polypropylene, polylactide, polycarbonate, polystyrene) with a broad variety of nanofillers (fillers: layered silica, layered doubled hydroxides, POSS) are prepared where the concentration of the particles is varied. For layered fillers TEM images show both an intercalated and exfoliated morphology in dependence on the nanofiller and the matrix. All systems are studied in detail by dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) but also complementary methods like WAXS, SAXS, gas transport measurements, calorimetry, and FTIR spectroscopy are employed. Besides the dispersion, the interfacial region between the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix is crucial for the properties of the nanocomposites. Therefore, attention is paid to investigate this interfacial area by BDS because the polar groups of both the surfactant and compatibilizer are located close to the layers. For some systems it is found that the molecular mobility in the interfacial area is essentially higher than in the matrix. In addition a Maxwell/Wagner/Sillars polarization is found due to the blocking of charges at the layers. The time constant of this MWS-process can be correlated with characteristic length scales in the nanocomposites and provides information about the dispersion of the nanofiller.…