Polymer nanocomposites possess the potential to enhance thermal, mechanical, and dielectric properties of soft materials compared to their neat polymer counterparts. In order to develop high-performance nanocomposite materials, traditionally immiscible nanoparticles need to maintain adequate dispersion at sufficiently high volume fractions. The work presented here highlights the development of semi-crystalline polymer-particle nanocomposites and the ensuing investigation on the thermal and mechanical effects of constraining one end of the polymeric chain to a particle surface. Poly(cyclooctadiene)-grafted silica nanoparticles are synthesized through surface-initiated ring opening metathesis polymerization, and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and optical light scattering. The unsaturated polymer backbone is then hydrogenated to form silica nanoparticles grafted with poly(ethylene). The mechanical properties and the crystallization processes are then measured for the single-component nanocomposites and compared their neat polymer equivalent. The work presented provides a route to semi-crystalline nanocomposite synthesis and provides insight into the phase behavior of a novel class of materials.
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Presenters
Jacob A LaNasa
Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University
Authors
Jacob A LaNasa
Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University
Robert Hickey
Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science & Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University
