Nanocomposites have increased surface area due to nanoparticles, which are much smaller than microparticles. This small size leads to a high surface-to-volume ratio and small distances between fillers, resulting in bulk interfacial material. Nanocomposites demonstrate improved mechanical and optical properties compared to macroscale composites. They are also multiscale systems as nanoparticles can cluster at the micron scale while polymer chains are immobilized at the nanoscale particle surface. Research also shows that adding nanoparticles like carbon nanotubes and clay to polymer thin films increases the effective fraction of slowly relaxing domains, raising the glass transition temperature over films without nanoparticles.
2. ? Small filler size:
– High surface to volume ratio
? Small distance between fillers → bulk interfacial material
– Mechanical Properties
? Increased ductility with no decrease of strength,
? Scratching resistance
– Optical properties
? Light transmission characteristics particle size dependent
Why Nanocomposites?Why Nanocomposites? ?? Multi-Multi-
functionalityfunctionality
3. – Macroscale composite
structures
– Clustering of nanoparticles -
micron scale
– Interface - affected zones -
several to tens of nanometers -
gradient of properties
– Polymer chain immobilization
at particle surface is controlled
by electronic and atomic level
structure
Nanocomposite as a MultiscaleNanocomposite as a Multiscale
SystemSystem
10 -12
s
10 -9
- 1 s
1 s - 1h
4. The Glass transition temperature of nanocomposite thin films
- Background: The glass transition temperature of polymer thin films
Influence of
- i) single walled carbon nanotubes,
- (ii) C60 fullerenes (“buckyballs”) and
- (iii) mica-type layered silicate inorganic clays
on the Tg of thin polymer films in the nanometer thickness range
20-50
nm
Polymer coil Rg~2-20 nm
from mmptdpublic.jsc.nasa.gov/jscnano/
P. F. Green et al, U Texas
5. The Glass transition of Polymer thin film
nanocomposites
? C60, and carbon nanotubes
have a similar effect
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
0 50 100 150 200 250
h (nm)
PS
PS+1wt% layered silicate clay
PS+5 wt% layered silicate clay
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?≈
3/1
1)(
ν
β
h
a
ThT gg
PS: β=9
Nanocomposite: β=4
Decrease in β reflects the
increase in fraction of the
slowly relaxing domains
The effect of nanoparticles is to
increase the effective
fraction of slowly relaxing
domains in the sample
37
36
35
34
FilmThickness(nm)
25020015010050
Temperature (
o
C)
P. F. Green et al, U Texas
6. The Glass transition of Polymer thin film
nanocomposites
? C60, and carbon nanotubes
have a similar effect
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
0 50 100 150 200 250
h (nm)
PS
PS+1wt% layered silicate clay
PS+5 wt% layered silicate clay
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?≈
3/1
1)(
ν
β
h
a
ThT gg
PS: β=9
Nanocomposite: β=4
Decrease in β reflects the
increase in fraction of the
slowly relaxing domains
The effect of nanoparticles is to
increase the effective
fraction of slowly relaxing
domains in the sample
37
36
35
34
FilmThickness(nm)
25020015010050
Temperature (
o
C)
P. F. Green et al, U Texas