Glass transition activation energy of CdS/PMMA nano-composite and its dependence on composition of CdS nano-particles

CdS/PMMA nano-composites at different weight percent of CdS (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8) have been prepared using solution casting method. The obtained nano-composites are characterized through the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements have been done on the nano-composites at different heating rates. The peak glass transition temperature is determined using the DSC thermograms. It is found that the glass transition temperature increases with the increase of CdS content up to 6 wt% and then decreases for higher weight percent (8). It is explained on the basis of molecular motion of PMMA, which is restricted when CdS is added into PMMA. An effort is also made to study the activation energy of glass transition in the case of nano-composites of different weight percent of CdS. Variation of activation energy with CdS nano-particle concentration has also been theoretically predicted by using an empirical relation. Thermal stability of these nano-composites has been explained with the help of activation energy in the glassy region.