HIGH THROUGHPUT METHODS FOR POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES RESEARCH: EXTRUSION, NMR CHARACTERIZATION AND FLAMMABILITY PROPERTY SCREENING

摘要

Nanocomposites result from combinations of materials with vastly different properties at the nanometer scale. Some examples of these include: polymers combined with layered-silicates (LS), polymers combined with nano-silica, hybrid materials prepared by sol-gel methods, and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanocomposites. All these materials exhibit many unique properties, such as improved thermal stability, reduced flammability, and improved mechanical properties. However, progress toward marketable products using nanocomposites has been hampered by a lack of understanding of processing issues as well as from difficulties with quantitative characterization of the nano-dispersion and morphology. This paper will review the important parameters associated with nanocomposites. To address the above issues we have developed High Throughput (HT) methods for studying nanocomposites. We have prepared gradient polymer samples with continuously varying concentrations of various nano-additives using an extruder. Gradients samples are characterized on-line using dielectric sensors and off-line using automated-TGA, NMR, and nanoindentation. The flammability properties are evaluated using new flammability screening methods. The results of this new approach to nanocomposites research show a factor often improvement in data generation rates.