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Polymers and Polymer Composites

THERMAL AND DYNAMIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE-SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES: EFFECT OF ZINC-ION COATING ON NANOSILICA

March 1, 2006 By: Reddy C S; Das C K Research article

Title: THERMAL AND DYNAMIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE-SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES: EFFECT OF ZINC-ION COATING ON NANOSILICA
Page Range: p.281-290
Author(s): Reddy C S; Das C K
File size: 255K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 14
Issue No: No. 3

Abstract
The effect of zinc coating nano-silica particles with zinc ions before incorporation into an LDPE polymer matrix is studied. It was found that the coating improved the reinforcing effect of the filler, and allowed for the use of much lower loading level. This is reported to be due to a decrease in the polarity of the nano-silica surface on zinc ion coating, which prevented agglomeration of the silica particles and thus promoted their effective dispersion in the polymer matrix. The zinc coated nano-silica filled LDPE was found to have 26% higher elastic modulus than the uncoated version and 58% higher elastic modulus. In addition, the coated nano-silica filled nanocomposite was found to be more thermally stable as indicated by TGA thermograms. AFM surface topography of the nanocomposite showed agglomerated particles which were not observed in the case of the coated silica nanocomposites, and more uniform surface and lower roughness was observed in the coated nano-silica composites. 21 refs.

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