Tailoring of thermomechanical properties of thermoplastic nanocomposites by surface modification of nanoscale silica particles

Abstract

Thermoplastic nanocomposites based on linear polymethacrylates as matrix materials and spherical silica particles as fillers have been synthesized using the in situ free radical polymerization technqiue of methacrylate monomers in presence of specially functionalized SiO2 nanoparticulate fillers. Uncoated monodisperse silica particles with particle sizes 100 nm and 10 nm were used as reference fillers. For surface modification, the alcoholic dispersions of the fillers were treated with appropriate amounts of methacryloxypropytrimethoxysilane (MPTS) and acetoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to investigate dispersion behaviour in dependence on surface modification. Dynamic mechanical properties were measured by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA).