Poly(methyl methacrylate)-nanoribbon nanocomposites with high thermal stability and improvement in the glass-transition
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novel poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposite containing dispersed inorganic nanoribbons [ZnO–0.15Zn(CH3COO)2–0.85H2O] was prepared by free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the acetone solution. Experimental results showed that inorganic nanoribbons were uniformly distributed in and bonded to the PMMA host matrix without macroscopic organic–inorganic phase separation. It was found that the thermal stability and glass-transition temperature of the nanocomposite films increased effectively with increasing inorganic content at low content and remained above 1 wt% inorganic content. These results suggest the network formation because of the strong interaction between the inorganic nanoribbons and the polymer matrix, which induces the mobility restriction of polymer chains. The characteristics of the one-dimensional inorganic nanoribbons we used here may play a key role in the formation of the “cross-link” networks and in the decision to lower the content of the inorganic nanoribbon additive.
I. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, nanocomposites have attracted the interest of a number of researchers due to their synergistic and hybrid properties derived from several components. These materials can offer unique mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties.1–3 The general class of organic–inorganic nanocomposite materials are rapidly replacing more traditional materials, such as wood.4 The inorganic framework serves to protect, stabilize, orient the polymer, and mediate its function.5 For example, polymer–carbon nanotube composites have shown promise in applications such as ultrafast all-optical switches, photovoltaic devices, gas sensors, and biocatalytic films.6–9 Measurements by Kobayashi et al.10 on polymer– colloidal silica films have shown that the polymer interdiffusion depends on the silica filler size.10 Silica nanoparticles may not only raise the glass-transition temperature of polymers but also change the phase behavior of nanocomposite blends.11 The inorganic layered materials have been extensively used in preparing polymer–inorganic nanocomposites. The layered materials involved in this field include silicate clay minerals,12
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Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected] DOI: 10.1557/JMR.2007.0427 3316
http://journals.cambridge.org
J. Mater. Res., Vol. 22, No. 12, Dec 2007 Downloaded: 08 Apr 2015
manganese oxides,13 molybdenum sulfide,14 titanates,15 layered phosphates,16 and layered double hydroxides.17 Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is an important thermoplastic material with excellent transparency. Because of its characteristics of optical clarity, mechanical properties, adhesion, and chemical stability, one of its most important uses is in the fabrication of paints and surface coatings. However, its lower thermal stability restrains it from applications in higher temperature regions. To improve the thermal stability of PMMA, recently numerous studies18 have shown interest in the use of lamellar nanofillers (including layer double hydroxide and mo
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