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Crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) embedded with surface‐modified SiO 2 nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Lee Eunwoo,
Hong JinYong,
Ungar Goran,
Jang Jyongsik
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.4402
Subject(s) - crystallization , nucleation , differential scanning calorimetry , materials science , chemical engineering , ethylene oxide , nanoparticle , nanocomposite , annealing (glass) , oxide , polymer chemistry , polymer , copolymer , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , chemistry , composite material , physics , metallurgy , engineering , thermodynamics
The crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) ( PEO ) in the presence of silica nanoparticles ( SiO 2 NPs ) was investigated in terms of heterogeneous nucleation of SiO 2 NPs using polarizing optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The content and surface functionality of SiO 2 NPs were considered as the main factors affecting crystallization, and the effect of annealing time and temperature was also examined. The SiO 2 NPs acted as heterogeneous nucleates during the crystallization process, thereby enhancing the nucleation density and limiting the spherulitic growth rate. A kinetics study of non‐isothermal crystallization showed that the crystallization rate of 5 wt% SiO 2 / PEO nanocomposite was ca 2.1 times higher than that of neat PEO . In addition, among various surface‐functionalized SiO 2 nanoparticles, alkyl‐chain‐functionalized SiO 2 NPs were favorable for achieving a higher crystallization rate due to the enhanced compatibility between the SiO 2 NPs and PEO chains. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry