Filled polymer supercritical fluid

Polymers represent also one of the fastest growing application area for supercritical fluids. In fact, the past decade is filled with supercritical fluids based activity that spans all aspects of polymer synthesis and post-processing. Near-critical and supercritical fluids are currently in use, or under intense exploration for use as tunable reaction media or processing fluid for ... 

Examples of filled polymer compositions are discussed, where the role of the preparation method has been clearly identified in relation to compound structure and end properties. Particular attention is also given to recent developments in the field of natural fibre-filled composites, supercritical fluid assisted processing of filled polymers, re-use of thermoset recyclate fillers and silicate layer polymer nanocomposites. 

Figure 5.9 Supercritical fluid assisted processing of filled polymer compositions. Blend of 50% by volmne silicon nitride/polyethylene extruded at 180 °C...

Moreover, Atobe et al. successfully prepared polythiophene nano-brush using template electrochemical polymerization in supercritical fluoroform [12]. In this work, nanoporous alumina membranes (60 pm thick, 200 nm pore size) coated on one side with evaporated Pt (ca. 500 nm thick) were employed as a template electrode for polythiophene electrodeposition into pores. The use of the special properties of the fluids such as higher diffusivity and lower viscosity enabled the effective monomer transport into the porous template and the nanoprecise filling with the polymers. Consequently, the solid polythiophene nano-brush could be obtained after removal of the alumina membrane (Fig. 3). 

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