Study and evaluation of dispersion of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and silica filler in polypropylene composites
Various methods were used for evaluation of homogeneity of polypropylene (PP) matrix composites with octakis([n‐octyl]dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane, octakis([n‐octadecyl]dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane, and silica (SiO2) fillers. The filler dispersion was determined on the basis of the results from the wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) analysis, from the tests of selected mechanical properties, from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and from the decomposable entropic descriptor method. The use of different methods allowed to evaluate homogeneity of PP composites on various levels and with different precisions. The dispersion degree was found…
Study of thermal properties of polyethylene and polypropylene nanocomposites with long alkyl chain-substituted POSS fillers
The effect of incorporation of octakis({alkyl}dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxanes molecules with n-octyl, n-octadecyl and 4-methyl-hexyl substituents on thermal properties of polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was investigated. Thermal properties of those composite materials were evaluated by means of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG) methods. The type and mass% content of POSS nanofillers influenced the crystallization and melting properties as well as thermal stability of the obtained polyolefin nanocomposites. The incorporated POSS particles—acting as nucleating agents—improved the crystall…
A library of monoalkenylsilsesquioxanes as potential comonomers for synthesis of hybrid materials
In this paper we demonstrate a facile and efficient synthesis of monoalkenylsubstituted POSS compounds, i.e., R7(Si8O12)-alkenyl and R7(Si8O12)(OSiMe2)-alkenyl with a functional alkenyl group of chain length (from vinyl to dec-9-enyl, with or without additional –OSiMe2– spacer between the silsesquioxane core and alkenyl moiety) and with five types of inert groups (Et, iBu, iOc, Cy, Ph) at the POSS core. These compounds constitute a library of monosubstituted POSS systems, including thorough spectroscopic and thermal characteristics. These findings could be especially useful for material chemists applying the compounds as modifiers or comonomers for copolymerization reaction, e.g., with olef…
Polypropylene/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanocomposites – study of free volumes, crystallinity degree and mass flow rate
Nanokompozyty polipropylen/poliedryczne oligomeryczne silseskwioksany (PP/POSS) przygotowano metodą mieszania w stanie stopionym polimeru. Wpływ struktury oraz ilości zastosowanych nanonapełniaczy POSS na objętości swobodne w polipropylenie określono z zastosowaniem spektroskopii czasów życia pozytonów (PALS). Ustalono zależności pomiędzy parametrami PALS: czasem życia o-Ps (τ3) i natężeniem (I3) składowej o-Ps oraz wartościami stopnia krystaliczności (Xc ) i masowego wskaźnika szybkości płynięcia (MFR) badanych materiałów. Obecność nanonapełniaczy POSS wpłynęła na liczbę i rozmiary objętości swobodnych w polimerze, co spowodowało zmianę mikrostruktury osnowy polipropylenowej. Wraz ze zwięk…
Study of polyethylene nanocomposites with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanofillers—from structural characteristics to mechanical properties and processability
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposites filled with octakis({alkyl}dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxanes (POSS) were prepared by the melt blending method. The effects of the structure and the content of POSS nanofillers on free-volume properties and structural characteristics of nanocomposites were investigated by the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and X-ray diffraction methods: wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Incorporation of POSS nanofillers into polyethylene matrices modified the arrangement of the polymer chains and affected the size and number of free-volume holes in nanocomposites.…