Nanoparticles in polymer-matrix composites

Abstract

Regarding the development of nanoparticles for polymer matrix composites the particle/agglomerate size and particle/agglomerate distribution in the composites, respectively, is often crucial. This is exemplarily shown for, e.g. optical applications with measurements of refractive index and transmittance. Classical blending techniques, where nanoparticles are dispersed in polymers or resins, are compared to a combination of a special gas-phase synthesis method with subsequent in-situ deposition of nanoparticles in high-boiling liquids. The particles/agglomerates were characterized regarding particle size and particle size distribution using transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Additionally, important material properties like mechanical properties, relevant for application, or like viscosity, relevant for processing, are determined. It is shown, that with in-situ dispersed nanoparticles synthesized in a microwave plasma process composites with finely dispersed particles/agglomerates are attainable.

Carbon and titanium dioxide nanotube polymer composite manufacturing – characterization and interphase modeling

“…Extended research activities related to CNT-reinforced polymer composites and other possible CNT applications are being carried out in an effort to exploit their unique behaviors. To a large extent, this can be achieved by improving the dispersion conditions of the nanofillers in the resin, which leads to better wetting of the nanotubes and increases in the size of surface contact areas between constituent phases (Ci & Bai, 2006;Li, Zaiser, & Koutsos, 2004;Luo & Daniel, 2003;Miyagawa & Drzal, 2004;Schlabach, Ochs, Hanemann, & Szab o, 2011).…”

Microwave Plasma Synthesis of Materials—From Physics and Chemistry to Nanoparticles: A Materials Scientist’s Viewpoint

“…A common method for deposition of small charged particles from the gas phase is electrostatic deposition [95,96]. Further applied collection methods are the direct dispersion of nanoparticles in appropriate liquids (e.g., resins, glycols, liquid polymers) [97,98], and the deposition of nanoparticles on substrates, forming porous nanoparticle layers without liquid processing [54,99,100].…”

Dielectric property improvement of polymer-nanosized strontium titanate-composites for applications in microelectronics

“…In case of polymermatrix-composites the various low cost polymer shaping, replication and moulding techniques like tape casting, screen printing, hot embossing, injection moulding or the huge family of soft lithography have the potential to be applied for device fabrication (Worgull et al 2011;Piotter et al 2008). Especially the use of nanosized inorganic fillers or organic dopants in polymer matrix composites introduces or modifies application-oriented properties like electrical conductivity, thermomechanical strength, optical and dielectric properties and many more even at small solid loads (Hanemann and Szabo 2010;Schlabach et al 2011;Hanemann et al 2009;Schadler et al 2007).…”