Why Nanocomposites?

Size does matter

Increased surface area on
nanoparticles

Microparticles Nanoparticles
 Why Nanocomposites?  Multi-functionality

• Small filler size:

– High surface to volume ratio
• Small distance between fillers  bulk interfacial material
– Mechanical Properties
• Increased ductility with no decrease of strength,
• Scratching resistance
– Optical properties
• Light transmission characteristics particle size dependent
Nanocomposite as a Multiscale System
– Macroscale composite
structures
– Clustering of nanoparticles -
micron scale
1 s - 1h

– Interface - affected zones -

several to tens of nanometers -
gradient of properties
10 -9 - 1 s

– Polymer chain immobilization

at particle surface is controlled
10 -12 s by electronic and atomic level
structure
 The Glass transition temperature of nanocomposite thin films
- Background: The glass transition temperature of polymer thin films
from mmptdpublic.jsc.nasa.gov/jscnano/

Influence of
- i) single walled carbon nanotubes,
- (ii) C60 fullerenes (“buckyballs”) and
- (iii) mica-type layered silicate inorganic clays

on the Tg of thin polymer films in the nanometer thickness range

20-50
nm
P. F. Green et al, U Texas
Polymer coil Rg~2-20 nm
 The Glass transition of Polymer thin film
nanocomposites

• C60, and carbon nanotubes 37

Film Thickness (nm)

have a similar effect 36

1 /3
 a 
Tg (h)  Tg 1     
35

  h   34

PS: =9 50 100 150

o
Temperature ( C)
200 250

Nanocomposite: =4 125

120
PS+5 wt% layered silicate clay
Decrease in  reflects the 115

increase in fraction of the 110

slowly relaxing domains 105

PS+1wt% layered silicate clay
100

The effect of nanoparticles is to 95

PS
increase the effective 90

fraction of slowly relaxing 85

0 50 100 150 200 250
domains in the sample
h (nm)

P. F. Green et al, U Texas