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Novel polymer nanocomposites based on polystyrene and Ti‐functionalized polyhedral silsesquioxanes
Author(s) -
Monticelli Orietta,
Zunino Ennio,
Carniato Fabio,
Boccaleri Enrico,
Marchese Leonardo,
Chincarini Andrea
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.1508
Subject(s) - materials science , thermogravimetric analysis , nanocomposite , polystyrene , polymer , thermal stability , scanning electron microscope , transmission electron microscopy , chemical engineering , polymerization , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , polymer chemistry , composite material , nanotechnology , engineering
Ti‐based polyhedral silsesquioxanes (Ti‐POSSs) have been prepared and dispersed in polystyrene (PS), by in situ polymerization, and the resulting materials have been characterized by several experimental techniques including both scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy, wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), X‐ray photospectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG). TEM and SEM analyses proved that PS nanocomposites of the samples based on heptaisobutyl‐Ti‐POSS (HEI‐Ti‐POSS) are formed, where HEI‐Ti‐POSS cages are directly linked to the macromolecules via Ti‐C bonds. The presence of HEI‐Ti‐POSS enhances the thermo‐oxidative stability of PS‐based nanocomposites and does not significantly affect the polymer molecular mass. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.