The effect of polymer grafting in the dispersibility of alumina/polysulfone nanocomposites

Abstract

Abstract-Alumina nanoparticles have been modified with polysulfone (PSU) chains via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddi-tion reaction between functionalized alumina with vinyl groups and terminal azide polysulfone chains of two differ-ent molecular weights. Homopolymer nanocomposites have been prepared for the first time by extrusion and microinjection. The effectiveness of the grafts on the dispersiblity has been analyzed in terms of the parameters that govern the wettability between grafted and matrix chains: graft density ( ), graft molecular weight (N) at constant matrix molecular weight (P).The dispersion state and interfacial adhesion of PSU grafted-nanoparticles have been evaluated from laser scanning confocal, FESEM and SEM microscopy. Results show that the incorporation of the modified g-alumina improves the dispersion state in comparison with bare alumina nanoparticles, reducing the aver-age particle size from 5±9 to 1.3±1 microns. Although aggregates are still present the size of the aggregates are also substantially reduced even with low or moderate graft density used in this work, but further improves the interfacial adhesion between nanoparticle and matrix when long PSU chains are grafted even with low-moderate grafting den-sity. These results can be explained by enthalpic compatibility between polysulfone grafted layer and host polysul-fone matrix

Surface Modification of Alumina Nanoparticles: A Dispersion Study in Organic Media

“…19 Alumina NPs have been modified with polysulfone (PSU) chains via 1,3-dipolar cyclo-addition reaction between functionalized alumina with vinyl groups and terminal azide polysulfone chains of two different molecular weights. 20 Homo-polymer NCs have been prepared by extrusion and microinjection. The effectiveness of the grafts on the dispersibility has been analyzed in terms of the parameters that govern the wettability between grafted and matrix chains.…”

“…These results can be explained by enthalpic compatibility between polysulfone grafted layer and host polysulfone matrix. 20 The application of non-fouling thin films such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to alumina membranes is useful in drug delivery applications to prevent membrane fouling in long-term usage. Popat and co-workers have covalently attached PEG to nano-porous alumina surfaces to improve their non-fouling properties.…”

Morphological and mechanical studies of Al2O3–Na2SiO3 as a skin barrier coated with TiO2 for carbon fiber reinforced composite materials

“…45 Several studies involve the hydrophobiation of alumina NPs by silylation using functionalized silanes. [46][47][48] In short, a high concentration of the material or modication agent is required to increase the hydrophobic properties of a specimen coating to increase roughness and decrease bonding with water. It also uses modied materials or materials with nano powder size.…”

Jet Milling as an Alternative Processing Technique for Preparing Polysulfone Hard Nanocomposites

“…e interfacial interactions play a crucial role in determining the quality and properties of the nanocomposites. Monodisperse and multimodal attachment of polymer chains to nanoparticle have been studied extensively to enhance compatibility in polymeric matrixes [3][4][5][6][7][8]. As a special type, Rungta et al [9] successfully designed a bimodal polymer brush that contains a small number of long homopolymer chains that can entangle with the polymer matrix and a high density of short brushes that screen the core/core van der Waals interactions between the nanoparticles.…”