POSS Dispersants and Flow Aids for High Temperature Thermoplastics

摘要

Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) were tested as processing aids and dispersants in polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Up to a 500% increase in melt flow index was observed in neat PEEK with no noticeable change in mechanical properties. POSS silanols were used as filler dispersants and showed effects similar to stearic acid but with much greater thermal stability. Thermal analysis showed that POSS is stable up to 400 °C. These attributes compare favorably to commercial surfactants, which cannot survive similar processing temperatures.