Preparation and characterization of crosslinked poly(ε-caprolactone)/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanocomposites by electron beam irradiation

摘要

Crosslinked poly(e-caprolactone)/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PCL/POSS) nanocomposite films prepared by a solution casting were crosslinked by electron beam irradiation under various conditions. The results of the crosslinking degree measurement revealed that the crosslinking degree of the PCL/POSS nanocomposites reached to 74%, which depended on the POSS content and the absorbed dose. The results of the FE-SEM and EDX analyses revealed that the POSS was homogeneously dispersed in the PCL matrix. In comparison to the virgin PCL with a tensile strength of 20 MPa, the tensile strength of the crosslinked PCL/POSS nanocomposites increased to 25.8 MPa with an increasing POSS content and absorbed dose to 100kGy, whereas their elongation-at-break was considerably reduced. The results of the dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that the crosslinked PCL/POSS nanocomposites had a higher heat resistance than the virgin PCL. Based on the results of the enzymatic degradation test, the biodegradability of the crosslinked PCL/POSS nanocomposites was significantly reduced in comparison to that of the virgin PCL.