Thermal and mechanical properties of photocured organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposites of terpene‐based acrylate resin and methacrylate‐substituted polysilsesquioxane

Diacrylate compounds derived from α‐pinene and limonene (TDAs: TDA‐1 and TDA‐2) were photocured with methacryl‐substituted polysilsesquioxane (ME‐PSQ) prepared from 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH) in the TDA/ME‐PSQ weight ratio of 20 : 0, 20 : 1, 20 : 2, 20 : 3, and 20 : 4. All the photocured TDA/ME‐PSQ hybrid nanocomposites became transparent. The thermomechanical analysis of the cured TDA/ME‐PSQ revealed that the glass transition temperature ( T g ) increased, the thermal expansion coefficient above T g decreased with increasing ME‐PSQ content, and that the TDA‐1/ME‐PSQ had ca. 30°C greater T g than the TDA‐2/ME‐PSQ with the same ME‐PSQ content. Also, the dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that the TDA‐1/ME‐PSQ had much greater storage modulus at around 150°C than the corresponding TDA‐2/ME‐PSQ. The flexural strength and modulus of the TDA/ME‐PSQ nanocomposites at 20°C had maximum at ME‐PSQ content 4.8 and 13.0 wt %, respectively. As a whole, the thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were improved by the addition of ME‐PSQ, and those of TDA‐1/ME‐PSQ nanocomposites were superior to those of TDA‐2/ME‐PSQ. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010