Issue 42, 2010

From polyester grafting onto POSS nanocage by ring-opening polymerization to high performance polyester/POSS nanocomposites

Abstract

Polyester-grafted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanohybrids selectively produced by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and L,L-lactide (A.-L. Goffin, E. Duquesne, S. Moins, M. Alexandre, Ph. Dubois, Eur. Polym. Journal, 2007, 43, 4103) were studied as “masterbatches” by melt-blending within their corresponding commercial polymeric matrices, i.e., poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L,L-lactide) (PLA). For the sake of comparison, neat POSS nanoparticles were also dispersed in PCL and PLA. The objective was to prepare aliphatic polyester-based nanocomposites with enhanced crystallization behavior, and therefore, enhanced thermo-mechanical properties. Wide-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy attested for the dispersion of individualized POSS nanoparticles in the resulting nanocomposite materials only when the polyester-grafted POSS nanohybrid was used as a masterbatch. The large impact of such finely dispersed (grafted) nanoparticles on the crystallization behavior for the corresponding polyester matrices was noticed, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. Indeed, well-dispersed POSS nanoparticles acted as efficient nucleating sites, significantly increasing the crystallinity degree of both PCL and PLA matrices. As a result, a positive impact on thermo-mechanical properties was highlighted by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis.

Graphical abstract: From polyester grafting onto POSS nanocage by ring-opening polymerization to high performance polyester/POSS nanocomposites

Additions and corrections

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Feb 2010
Accepted
14 Apr 2010
First published
02 Jun 2010

J. Mater. Chem., 2010,20, 9415-9422

From polyester grafting onto POSS nanocage by ring-opening polymerization to high performance polyester/POSS nanocomposites

A. Goffin, E. Duquesne, J. Raquez, H. E. Miltner, X. Ke, M. Alexandre, G. Van Tendeloo, B. Van Mele and P. Dubois, J. Mater. Chem., 2010, 20, 9415 DOI: 10.1039/C0JM00283F

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