The
interfacial region between nanoparticles and polymer matrix
plays a critical role in influencing the mechanical behavior of polymer
nanocomposites. In this work, a set of model systems based on poly(methyl
methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix containing poly(alkyl glycidyl ether)
brushes grafted on 50 nm metal–organic-framework (MOF) nanoparticles
were synthesized and investigated. By systematically increasing the
polymer brush length and graft density on the MOF nanoparticles, the
fracture behavior of PMMA/MOF nanocomposite changes from forming only
a few large crazes to generating massive crazing and to undergoing
shear banding, which results in significant improvement in fracture
toughness. The implication of the present finding for the interfacial
design of the nanoparticles for the development of high-performance,
multifunctional polymer nanocomposites is discussed.
Scratch and mar visibility is measured through a purposely designed black box. The present method for the quantification of the scratch visibility agrees with human eye evaluation. The color of the material has a crucial effect on the scratch visibility. Experimental procedure to measure the scratch visibility is shown in the graphical abstract: a) the scratched sample is located into the black box setup; b) the images taken in the step "a" are analyzed to quantify the onset of visibility; c) the results are quantitatively compared to the human eye perception of the scratch.
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