Title: THERMAL AND MECHANICAL REINFORCEMENT OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) VIA INCORPORATION OF POLYHEDRAL OLIGOMERIC SILSESQUIOXANE
Page Range: p.37-42
Author(s): Benhong Yang; Meng Li; Yun Wu; Xingliang Wan
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 21
Issue No: No.1
Abstract
A series of inorganic/organic nanocomposites were prepared by blending cage-like, hydroxyl-bearing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (HO-POSS) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in THF solvent. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) and 29Si-nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si-NMR) were employed to characterize the structures of the HO-POSS/PMMA nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the as-prepared composite films were smooth, and no severe aggregation of HO-POSS was observed when POSS content was less than 1.0 wt.%. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the incorporation of small amount of nanosized HO-POSS reinforced the thermal stability of PMMA. When 1.0 wt.% of HO-POSS was incorporated into PMMA matrix, the Tg and Td increased by 28.8 degree C and 18.9 degree C, respectively, due to the strong interaction between POSS cages and PMMA chains. However, higher POSS contents (>2.0 wt.%) deteriorated the thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites owing to the phase separation in the composite matrix caused by the aggregation of POSS cages. 21 Refs.