Thermodynamics of interfacial interactions in composites based on nanodispersed NiO and methacrylic acid derivatives

Interfacial interactions in composites based on nanodispersed nickel oxide and methacrylate polymer matrices are studied via isothermal microcalorimetry. The thermochemical cycle is used to estimate the concentration dependences of the enthalpies of mixing of nickel oxide with, respectively, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(butyl methacrylate), poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), and the butyl methacrylate copolymers containing 1 and 5 mol % methacrylic acid units. On the basis of these data, the maximum enthalpies of adhesion and the parameters of the glassy structure of the polymers are calculated. It is shown that the increase in the absolute values of the maximum enthalpy of adhesion is related to a gain in the fraction of carboxyl groups in the macromolecular chain. Strengthening of interfacial interactions for glassy polymers correlates with an increase in the fraction of metastable vacancies and in the thickness of the adhesion glassy layer.