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Model polymer nanocomposites provide an understanding of confinement effects in real nanocomposites

Nature Materials volume 6, pages 278–282 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Owing to the improvement of properties including conductivity, toughness and permeability, polymer nanocomposites are slated for applications ranging from membranes to fuel cells1,2. The enhancement of polymer properties by the addition of inorganic nanoparticles is a complex function of interfacial interactions, interfacial area and the distribution of inter-nanofiller distances. The latter two factors depend on nanofiller dispersion, making it difficult to develop a fundamental understanding of their effects on nanocomposite properties. Here, we design model poly(methyl methacrylate)–silica and poly(2-vinyl pyridine)–silica nanocomposites consisting of polymer films confined between silica slides. We compare the dependence of the glass-transition temperature (Tg) and physical ageing on the interlayer distance in model nanocomposites with the dependence of silica nanoparticle content in real nanocomposites. We show that model nanocomposites provide a simple way to gain insight into the effect of interparticle spacing on Tg and to predict the approximate ageing response of real nanocomposites.

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Figure 1: Tg data from bulk polymer and polymer nanocomposites determined via fluorescence.
Figure 2: Deviations of Tg from Tg,bulk of ultrathin films supported on silica and ‘model’ nanocomposites.
Figure 3: Interlayer spacing (film thicknesses) in ‘model’ nanocomposites that yield the same Tg deviation as 0.4 vol% silica–PMMA and silica–P2VP nanocomposites.
Figure 4: Physical ageing of bulk polymer and polymer nanocomposites monitored by fluorescence.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the NSF-MRSEC program at Northwestern University (grants DMR-0076097 and DMR-0520513), Northwestern University and a DFI fellowship (R.D.P.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3120, USA

    Perla Rittigstein, Rodney D. Priestley, Linda J. Broadbelt & John M. Torkelson

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3120, USA

    John M. Torkelson

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  1. Perla Rittigstein
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  2. Rodney D. Priestley
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  4. John M. Torkelson
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Correspondence to John M. Torkelson.

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Rittigstein, P., Priestley, R., Broadbelt, L. et al. Model polymer nanocomposites provide an understanding of confinement effects in real nanocomposites. Nature Mater 6, 278–282 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1870

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