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Synthesis and characterization of differently substituted phenyl hepta isobutyl‐polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane/polystyrene nanocomposites
Author(s) -
Blanco Ignazio,
Bottino Francesco A.,
Cicala Gianluca,
Latteri Alberta,
Recca Antonino
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.22644
Subject(s) - materials science , polystyrene , silsesquioxane , glass transition , nanocomposite , molar mass , polymer , polymer chemistry , thermal stability , scanning electron microscope , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polymerization , styrene , chemical engineering , composite material , copolymer , engineering
Variously substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs)/polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites of general formula R 7 R′(SiO 1.5 ) 8 /PS (where R = isobutyl and R′ = 4‐methoxyphenyl, 4‐methylphenyl, 3,5‐dimethylphenyl, 4‐fluorophenyl, 2,4‐difluorophenyl, 4‐chlorophenyl) were prepared by in situ polymerization of styrene in the presence of 5% w/w of POSS. The actual filler concentration in the obtained nanocomposites was checked by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy evidenced the presence of filler‐polymer interactions. Inherent viscosity ( η inh ) determinations indicated that the average molar mass of polymer in halogenated derivatives was lower than neat PS, and were in agreement with calorimetric glass transition temperature ( T g ) measurements. Finally, a comparative study concerning the thermal stability of synthesized nanocomposites was carried out in both inert (flowing nitrogen) and oxidative (static air) atmospheres into a thermobalance, in the scanning mode, at 10°C min −1 , and the temperatures at 5% mass loss ( T 5% ), of various compounds were determined. The results were discussed and interpreted. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:151–157, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers