Gradient of molecular dynamics at the glass transition of PETg-Montmorillonite nanocomposites

Temperature Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TMDSC) is used to estimate Cooperative Rearranging Region (CRR) average sizes for polymer/clay nanocomposites, obtained by mixing polyethylene 1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate glycol (PETg) filled and organically modified nanoclay (C15A) following a master-batch process. Two different basal distances are obtained. It is shown that the greater the basal distance and the nanofiller content, the lower the heat capacity step at the glass transition temperature ΔCp(T_g), and the lower the CRR volume. It is also shown that the evolution of the CRR volume is consistent with the evolution of the fragility index obtained by DSC and Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) when the nanofiller content changes. The fragility index and the CRR size decreases can be correlated to nanofiller presence, hindering the molecular movements. From the Vollenberg and Heikens [34] approach, this behaviour can also be interpreted through the existence of an interfacial bilayer. This interfacial bilayer is composed by a zone, which is next to the nanofiller, with a density higher than the matrix one, followed by a more expanded zone with a density lower than the matrix one.     

Multiscale simulation of polymer nanocomposites

Existing methods for a multiscale simulation of polymer nanocomposites, which are presently thought to be among the most promising materials for applications in various realms of science and technologies, are considered. Factors that affect the structure and properties of polymer nanocomposites are analyzed. These factors include the properties of nanoobjects used as fillers, special features of the interaction between a nanofiller and a host material, and the uniformity of the nanofiller distribution over the polymer volume. It is shown that specific simulation methods are required for properly taking into account each such factor, and an optimum scheme is chosen for a multiscale simulation of polymer nanocomposites. Some results of the calculations performed on the basis of the approach described in this article are presented.     

Structural model for the reinforcement of polymethyl methacrylate/carbon nanotube nanocomposites at an ultralow nanofiller content

The structural basis of the anomalously high reinforcement of polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposites at an ultralow nanofiller content is studied. This effect is shown to be caused by the absence of interaction between carbon nanotubes and the related sharp increase in the interphase adhesion. From the standpoint of a nanofiller structure, the effect disappears when three critical points related to the structure of carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix are reached. These points are a percolation threshold, an aggregative nanofiller stability threshold, and the beginning of formation of closed circular carbon nanotube structures.     

Comparative Analysis of the Reinforcement of Polymers with 2D-Nanofillers: Organoclay and Boron Nitride

Using the percolation reinforcement model, it has been shown that the main factor governing the degree of reinforcement of polymer/2D-nanofiller composites is the ability of a nanofiller to generate interfacial regions. This parameter is interrelated with two fundamental structural characteristics of a nanocomposite, i.e., the fractal dimension of its structure and the content of polymer matrix/nanofiller interfacial surfaces. The negative effect of high nanofiller anisotropy on the elasticity modulus of a nanocomposite is demonstrated.     

Description of the degree of reinforcement of polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposites in the framework of percolation models

A radically new percolation model for describing the extremal dependence of the degree of reinforcement of polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposites on the nanofiller content has been proposed. It has been shown that, for this nanofiller, the percolation threshold almost coincides with the aggregation threshold on the concentration scale. From the structural point of view, the extremum of this dependence is caused by the change in the type of the reinforcing component (from interphase regions to the skeleton of carbon nanotubes). From the mathematical point of view, the behavior of the degree of reinforcement is described by the general percolation relationship with replacement of the critical exponents near the percolation threshold. Neither the functionalization of the nanofiller nor the preliminary ultrasound treatment qualitatively change the dependence under study.     

Structural Interpretation of Variation in Properties of Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites near the Nanofiller Percolation Threshold

Technical Physics - The structure of the nanofiller in the polymer matrix of polymer/carbon nanotube nanocomposites can be characterized by the dimension of the nanofiller network, which is a...     

Evaluation of the geopolymer/nanofiber interfacial bond strength and their effects on Mode-I fracture toughness of geopolymer matrix at high temperature

The present article has reported the effects of several nanofiller’s aspect ratio, length and interfacial strength on Mode-I fracture toughness (K_IC) of geopolymer as the matrix of continuous fibre reinforced composites. These nanofillers have been chosen based on the variations in the surface chemistry and nature of interfacial bonding with geopolymer, which include Carbon, Alumina and Silicon carbide. Geopolymer matrix was subjected to the addition of single volume fraction, 2% of each type of nanofiller with two aspect ratios, designated as nanoparticles and nanofibers. Notched beam flexure tests (SEVNB) of neat and each nanofiller reinforced samples suggest that, while baseline K_IC of neat geopolymer improved with heat treatment, nanofibers with high interfacial bond strength showed maximum capability in further improving K_IC. Among those nanofibers, 2 vol% Silicon Carbide Whisker (SCW) showed the largest improvement in K_IC of geopolymer, which is ~164%. After heat treatment at 650 °C, SCW reinforcement was also found to be effective, with only ~28% lower than the reinforcing performance at 250 °C, while the performance of Alumina Nanofiber reinforced geopolymer notably reduced. SEM and EDS analysis suggested that the inhomogeneity in neat geopolymer and length of nanofibers control the reinforcing capability as well as crack propagation resistance of geopolymer. For instance, minimum length of nanofillers to toughen this geopolymer at 250 °C was required as ~2 μm. The results further suggested that the sample failure occurred due to the dominance of tensile failure of nanofibers over the interfacial separation.     

Comparing the Effect of Micro- and Nano-Scale Silica on the Rheological,Dynamic Mechanical Properties and Flame Resistance of Nylon 6,6

Nylon 6,6 micro- and nano-silica composites were prepared by melt processing using a twin-screw extruder. Three nanocomposites containing 4, 8, and 12 wt.% of nanosilica were prepared. In order to compare the effect of size, a microcomposite containing 4 wt.% of micron-size silica was also prepared. The effects of particle type (micro- and nano-size) on the dynamic thermomechanical and rheological properties, morphology, and flame resistance of the composites were examined. The dynamic thermomechanical properties (DMTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic rheometry, thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and limiting oxygen index (LOI) data are reported. The particles were observed to be dispersed uniformly, but with a different level of coalescence, by means of SEM and TEM. The DMTA results showed that the damping factor peak positions of the nanocomposites at low content of nanofiller shifted more to higher temperature compared to those of nanocomposites containing high concentrations of nanofiller. Dynamic rheometry, using a parallel plate rheometer, showed that the rheological moduli of the nanocomposites increased with increase in nanofiller concentration; however, this increase was greater in the high-frequency region. These results showed that increasing the concentration of nanofiller, and the consequent coalescence effect within the nanocomposites, led to rheological moduli values similar to those of the microcomposite. The TGA and LOI results of the microcomposite and nanocomposite containing 4wt.% of nanosilica showed that nanosilica had a more significant effect to enhance the heat and flame resistance of nylon 6,6 compared to that of micron-sized silica.     

Description of mechanical properties of particulate-filled nanostructured polymer composites using fractal analysis

A number of the main mechanical characteristics (yield strength, impact toughness, microhardness) of particulate-filled polymer nanocomposites are quantitatively described using fractal analysis. The approach is used to study the main mechanical behavior features of these materials. The influence of the initial particle size of nanofiller and the degree of particle aggregation on the mechanical properties of nanocomposites is shown.     

Enhanced electrical properties of polyethylene oxide (PEO) + polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP):Li<Superscript>+</Superscript> blended polymer electrolyte films with addition of Ag nanofiller

Polymer blended films of polyethylene oxide (PEO)?+?polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP):lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄) embedded with silver (Ag) nanofiller in different concentrations have been synthesized by a solution casting method. The semi-crystalline nature of these polymer films has been confirmed from their X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman analysis confirmed the complex formation of the polymer with dopant ions. Dispersed Ag nanofiller size evaluation study has been done using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. It was observed that the conductivity increases when increasing the Ag nanofiller concentration. On the addition of Ag nanofiller to the polyethylene oxide (PEO)?+?polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP):Li⁺ electrolyte system, it was found to result in the enhancement of ionic conductivity. The maximum ionic conductivity has been set up to be 1.14?×?10^?5 S cm^?1 at the optimized concentration of 4 wt% Ag nanofiller-embedded (45 wt%) polyethylene oxide (PEO)?+?(45 wt%) polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP):(10 wt%) Li⁺ polymer electrolyte nanocomposite at room temperature. Polyethylene oxide (PEO)?+?polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP):Li⁺ +Ag nanofiller (4 wt%) cell exhibited better performance in terms of cell parameters. This is ascribed to the presence of flexible matrix and high ionic conductivity. The applicability of the present 4 wt% Ag nanofiller-dispersed polyethylene oxide (PEO)?+?polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP):Li⁺ polymer electrolyte system could be suggested as a potential candidate for solid-state battery applications. Dielectric constants and dielectric loss behaviours have been studied.     

Electrochemical and structural properties of a polymer electrolyte system based on the effect of CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanofiller with PVDF-co-HFP for energy storage devices

In the present work, a series of five different nanocomposite polymer electrolytes (NCPEs) have been reported with varying contents of ceria, CeO₂ nanofiller suitably incorporated within an optimized composition having 75:25 wt% ratio of poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) [(PVDF-co-HFP)] and zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate (ZnTf) in the form of films obtained by mean of solution casting technique with a general formula [75 wt% PVDF-co-HFP:25 wt% ZnTf]-x wt% CeO₂ where x = 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10, respectively. The chosen NCPE system is found to exhibit the maximum electrical conductivity of 3 × 10^?4 S cm^?1 for 5 wt% loading of CeO₂ nanofiller at ambient temperature. The observed conductivity enhancement has been attributed to the occurrence of an increase in the amorphous content as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Detailed Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectral analysis has indicated the feasibility of complexation of the host polymer matrix with ZnTf salt and CeO₂ nanofiller. The incorporation of CeO₂ nanofiller has further increased the decomposition voltage of the polymer electrolyte from 2.4 to 2.7 V as revealed from the voltammetric studies performed on such NCPEs, thereby suggesting the suitability of these NCPE films with an enhanced electrical conductivity as new electrolytes in order to design and fabricate eco-friendly zinc rechargeable batteries and other electrochemical devices.     

Simulation of variations in mechanical properties of polyurethane elastomers modified with carbon nanotubes

The addition of extremely small portions of single-wall carbon nanotubes causes an anomalous change in mechanical properties of a cross-linked polyurethane-amide-urea elastomer containing 10% of polyamide-6; namely, with a nanofiller content of hundredths and thousandths of a percent, local maxima of elastic modulus and ultimate stress are observed. In the work, the anomalous variation in the elastic modulus is simulated relying on the concept of intermediate phase layer formation at the boundary of contacting particles of the initial material.     

Elastic Modulus of Nanofiller in Polymer-Matrix Composites

Russian Physics Journal - The paper explores the stiffness of the nanofiller particle aggregates in polymer matrix composites, such as particulate reinforced, carbon nanotube polymer and graphene...     

Fractal description of significant nano-effects in polymer composites with nanosized fillers. Aggregation,phase interaction,and reinforcement

The paper analyzes experimental data obtained on physical and mechanical properties of nanostructured particle-reinforced composites with elastomer matrices and nano- and microsized carbon-containing particles by scanning probe microscopy and nanoindentation with specialized 3D computer processing. The nano-effects observed in the elastomer matrices are described using the fractal approach. A fractal model of nanoparticle aggregation in a polymer matrix is proposed. Phase interactions in the nanostructured polymer materials are described and fractal relations that predict the reinforcing effect of this type of media are presented. It is shown that interphase regions in the nanostructured composites are the same reinforcing elements as a nanofiller for the medium. It is found that reinforcement of elastomer composites by nanosized particles is a true nano-effect.     

Amorphous solidification in polymer-platelet nanocomposites

Computer simulations are used to understand the molecular basis of the rheology changes in polymer melts when loaded with platelet filler particles, specifically when the polymer and nanofiller interact attractively. With decreasing temperature, there is increasing aggregation between chains and filler and an increase in the polymer matrix structural relaxation time. These lifetimes are predicted to diverge at an extrapolated temperature, which we identify with the emergence of an amorphous solid state. Our findings suggest that filled polymers are phenomenologically similar to solutions of associating polymers and to supercooled liquids near their glass transition.     

Hydrodynamic fields induced by the shock response of a fluid-filled submerged cylindrical shell containing a rigid co-axial core

The hydrodynamic fields induced by the response to an external shock wave of a system consisting of a submerged fluid-filled cylindrical shell and a rigid cylindrical co-axial core are considered. The primary focus of the study is on the complexity brought into the interaction by the presence of the core, and on the analysis of the multitude of the respective shock wave propagation and reflection phenomena. It is shown that when the core is small, its overall impact on the interaction is insignificant, although the hydrodynamic patterns observed exhibit some interesting features even in that case. As the radius of the core increases, its effect on the interaction becomes more and more pronounced, with the internal wave pattern eventually becoming dramatically different from what is observed in the no-core case. As a part of this investigation, the exact reasons for the significant reduction of the tensile stress reported for a larger core in earlier studies are identified. Finally, when the core becomes sufficiently large to dominate the internal volume, the fluid between the shell and the core starts to behave as a fluid layer, and exhibits some properties similar to those of a waveguide.     

Study of ionic solvent-free carbon nanotube nanofluids and its composites with epoxy matrix

A facile way to synthesis ionic solvent-free multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (MWNTs) nanofluids has been introduced. Fourier transform infrared spectra and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were employed to study the surface structure of MWNTs in the nanofluids. The thermal property of the nanofluids was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The stability of the nanofluids in the deionized water was obtained through UV–Vis absorption spectrum. Rotary rheometer was used to test the flow feature of the nanofluids. The results of conductivity indicate that the seepage threshold value of solvent-free nanofluids in water is about 0.408 vol.% (volume fraction). Meanwhile, it is found that the ionic nanofluids dispersed well in epoxy matrix. The mechanical properties, such as bend modulus, strength and impact toughness have been improved at the same time. TEM images can tell the great dispersion of solvent-free CNTs nanofluids in the epoxy matrix. It means that this kind of nanofluids will be excellent nanofiller in the nanocomposites.     

The Role of Nanoparticle Network in 2D Nanofiller-Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposites

Russian Physics Journal - The paper presents the fractal analysis which shows that the distribution or dispersion of 2D nanofiller (graphene oxide) particles in the polymer matrix of nanocomposite...     

直线变压器驱动源磁芯能量传递效率

 磁芯是直线变压器驱动源(LTD)的关键部件之一,起着初、次级能量传递和次级电压感应叠加的作用,磁芯的能量传递效率对LTD系统的效率、体积和重量影响显著。对LTD系统中影响磁芯能量传递效率的原因进行了初步的分析,并利用Pspice软件的非线性磁芯模型对磁芯的工作过程和损耗进行了模拟计算,最后对LTD磁芯的能量传递效率进行了初步的实验研究,在工作电压为20 kV时、脉宽约220 ns时,在2.8 Ω负载上获得了大于60%的能量传递效率。     

Organic–inorganic nanocomposite films made from polyurethane dispersions and colloidal silica particles

Polyurethane/silica nanocomposites were prepared by solution blending of polyurethane water dispersion (PUD) based on polycarbonate macrodiol with colloidal silica aqueous sol LUDOX TMA. Because of mixing PUDs made from linear polyurethane with the nanofiller, only physical polymer/filler type of interface formed by hydrogen bonds was obtained. As a result the materials were possible to reuse after dissolution in acetone followed by dispersion in water. The effect of colloidal silica content on mechanical, thermal, morphological, and swelling properties of obtained films was tested by tensile test, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, thermogravimertic analysis, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and swelling analyses. The nanocomposites were classified in three groups differing in the internal structure and functional properties: organic matrix filled with inorganic nanofiller (up to 10 wt% of silica), bicontinous systems (25 and 32 wt% of silica) and inorganic matrix filled with polyurethane (50 and 60 wt% of silica). Only small amount of colloidal silica (up to 10 wt%) improves thermo-mechanical properties, smoothes the materials, and suppresses extent of swelling without changing of the films transparency.