Effect of immobilized interfacial layer on the maximum filler loading of polystyrene/ silica nanocomposites

摘要

The effects of filler particle size and volume fraction on the immobilized interfacial layer volume and maximum filler loading of filled polymers are investigated using polystyrene-containing silica nanoparticles. The samples are prepared by solution-mixing method to obtain a better dispersion of silica particles, and dynamic rheometry is used to study visco-elastic behavior of these composites in the melt state. Addition of silica particles increases the glass-transition temperature; this phenomenon is intensified by decreasing the silica particle size. By decrease in size of silica particles, glass transition of filled polymer increases simultaneously with increase of interfacial layer volume fraction, which is related to increase in the total surface area of silica particles. Furthermore, the growth of immobilized interfacial layer volume fraction reduces the maximum filler loading as the filler particle size decreases.