Characterization of polymer nanocomposites

The physical properties of polymer nanocomposites are greatly dependent upon their microstructure, that is, an intercalated or exfoliated structure. XRD at a small angle is an efficient way to measure the hnear dimension of the regular structure in a solid sample so that with XRD, it is easy to decide whether the nanocomposite is intercalated or exfoliated. Rgure 20.2 is a sche- 

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Haggenmueller R, Zhou W, Fischer JE, Winey KI (2003) Production and characterization of polymer nanocomposites with highly aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2(1-2) 105-110... 

Ciprari D, Jacob K and Tauueubaum R (2006) Characterization of Polymer Nanocomposite Interphase aud Its Impact on Mechanical Properties, Macromolecules 39 6565-6573. 

Davis RD, Bur AJ, McBearty M et al. (2004) Dielectric spectroscopy during extrusion processing of polymer nanocomposites a high-throughput processing/characterization method to measure layered silicate content and exfoliation. Polymer 45 6487-6493... 

Seong DG, Kang TJ, Youn JR (2005) Rheological characterization of polymer-based nanocomposites with different nanoscale dispersions. e-Polymers 5... 

Bourbigot, S., Duquesne, S., Fontaine, G., Bellayer, S., Turf, T., and Samyn, F. 2008. Characterization and reaction to fire of polymer nanocomposites with and without conventional flame retardants. Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 486 325-339. 

Colister, J. 2002. Commercialization of polymer nanocomposites. In Polymer Nanocomposites Sunthesis, Characterization, and Modeling, R. Krishnamoorti and R.A. Vaia, eds.. In ACS Symposium Series No. 804, pp. 11-79, American Chemical Soc, Washington, DC. 

Morgan AB, Gilman JW, Jackson CL (2001) Macromolecules 34 2735 Becker O, Varley RJ, Simon GP (2002) Polymer 43 4365 Becker O, Cheng Y-B, Varley RJ, Simon GP (2003) Macromolecules 36 1616 Vaia RA (2000) Structural Characterization of Polymer-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites, in Polymer-day nanocomposites, Pinnavaia JT, Beall GW (eds), John WUey Sons, p 229... 

Morgan AB, Gilman JW, Jackson CL (2000) Characterization of Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites XRD vs. TEM in 219th ACS National Meeting. San Francisco, California... 

The development of conducting polymer (CP) nanocomposites has opened up novel fundamental and applied frontiers. The present chapter overviews recent works dealing with synthesis, characterization of CP nanocomposites, and then-applications related to biosensors. Various synthesis strategies, mechanism, and process parameters along with their characterization techniques are discussed. Some potential areas for biosensor-related applications of CP nanocomposites are highhghted, including catalytic biosensors and bioaffinity biosensors. 

A description of various characterization techniques for studying the dispersion of nanoparticles, curing kinetics and thermal degradation will facihtate the readers better understanding of these techniques. Information on the applications of polymer nanocomposites in various fields has also been incorporated. 

Masenelli-Varlot, K., Vigier, G., and Vermogen, A. 2007. Quantitative structural characterization of polymer-clay-nanocomposites and discussion of an "ideal" microstructure, leading to the highest mechanical reinforcement. 

Morgan, A. B. and Gilman, J. W. 2003. Characterization of polymer-layered silicate (clay) nanocomposites by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction A comparative study. 

Vaia, R. A. 2000. Structural characterization of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites. In Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites, T. J. Pirmavaia and G. W. Beall (eds.), pp. 229-263. Chichester, U.K. John Mley Sons. 

The mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites are also influenced by the chemical treatment of nanoparticles due to the different neighborhood in the material. The free volume that characterizes the density of material is modified and, consequently, the penetration of fluids (solvents, oxygen) is rather favorable to degradation. The diffusion of xylene in ethylene-propylene diene terpolymer is unlike, if material presents different consistency (Fig. 14, [191]). The competitive radiochemical processes, crosslinking of polymer and degradation of covering layer are the most important reasons responsible for the different shapes of swelling curves. 

It is well known that one of the major requirements of polymer nanocomposites is to optimize the balance between the strength/stifihess and the toughness as much as possible. Therefore it is usually necessary to characterize the mechanical properties of nanocomposites from different viewpoints. Several criteria, including tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, hardness, fracture toughness, and so forth, have been used to evaluate the nanocomposites. 

S. Bourbigot, S. Duquesne, G. Fontaine, S. BeUayer, T. Tnrf, F. Samyn, Characterization and reaction to fire of polymer nanocomposites with and withont conventional flame retardants. Molecular Crystals and Liqnid Crystals 486 (2008) 325/[1367]-339/[1381]. 

Beigbeder, A. Bruzaud, S. Mederic, P. Aubry, T. Brohens, Y, Rheological Characterization of PolyCdimethylsiloxaneVHTiNbOj Nanocomposites Prepared from Different Routes. Polymer 2005,46,12279-12286. 

A review of methods for the detailed characterization of polymer-clay nanocomposites is beyond the scope of this chapter. Valuable information on this area can be found in several literature reviews [13, 46, 63-68]. 

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