Entanglement density and particle dynamics in rigid interfacial layers of polymer nanocomposites

摘要

Intermixing between chemically different polymers around nanoparticles creates chemically heterogeneous layers, exhibiting unusual dynamic anomalies due to dynamic confinement and coupling phenomena in polymer nanocomposites. Interfacial mixing of chains is possible when adsorbed chains are mobile above their glass-transition temperature, leading to enhanced entanglement density at the interphase. Linear rheology data of polymer nanocomposites with chemically heterogeneous interphases around nanoparticles were analyzed over a wide frequency range to investigate the role of chain rigidity on matrix chain relaxations and particle diffusion. Our findings show that nanoparticles adsorbed with less rigid polymer move in a sub-diffusive mode. Nanoparticles adsorbed by flexible polymers can slow down the matrix polymer dynamics and particle diffusion, and this interphase effect enhances the viscoelastic properties of the whole polymer nanocomposite.