Polymer nanocomposites structure/morphology

It is always necessary to carefully characterize the polymer structure in order to ensure a sort of the dispersion for the nanoclays in polymers. XRD analysis and TEM would provide some information on the nanocomposite structural morphology. The diffraction patterns for nanoclay and nanocomposites are displayed in Figure 1 (a). The Cloisite 20A itself has a single peak at around 3.6° with d-space of 2.4 nm. 

Nawani, P. (2011). Polymer layered silicate nanocomposites Structure, morphology, and properties, Michigan ProQuest. 

Provided in this chapter is an overview on the fundamentals of polymer nanocomposites, including structure, properties, and surface treatment of the nanoadditives, design of the modifiers, modification of the nanoadditives and structure of modified nanoadditives, synthesis and struc-ture/morphology of the polymer nanocomposites, and the effect of nanoadditives on thermal and fire performance of the matrix polymers and mechanism. Trends for the study of polymer nanocomposites are also provided. This covers all kinds of inorganic nanoadditives, but the primary focus is on clays (particularly on the silicate clays and the layered double hydroxides) and carbon nanotubes. The reader who needs to have more detailed information and/or a better picture about nanoadditives and their influence on the matrix polymers, particularly on the thermal and fire performance, may peruse some key reviews, books, and papers in this area, which are listed at the end of the chapter. 

Nanotube nanocomposites with a large number of polymer matrices have been reported in the recent years. The composites were synthesized in order to enhance mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of the conventional polymers so as to expand their spectrum of applications. Different synthesis route have also been developed in order to achieve nanocomposites. The generated morphology in the composites and the resulting composite properties were reported to be affected by the nature of the polymer, nature of the nanotube modification, synthesis process, amount of the inorganic filler etc. The following paragraphs review the nanocomposites structures and properties reported in a few of these reports and also stress upon the future potential of nanotube nanocomposites. 

CNT nanocomposites morphological and structural analysis is often done by TEM but an extensive imaging is required then to ensure a representative view of the material. Moreover, carbon based fillers have very low TEM contrast when embedded in a polymer matrix. The application of microscopy techniques is very useful to control the status of CNTs at any time during the preparation process of CNT/polymer nanocomposites, and moreover, to gain insights on parameters important for a better understanding the performance of the final nanocomposite material based on CNTs. 

Most of the previous studies on flame retardation of polymer nanocomposites are focused on the relationship between macroscopic morphologies of chars and the flammability properties. Fang et al. studied the relationship between evolution of the microstructure, viscoelasticity and graphitization degree of chars and the flammability of polymers during combustion (68). The flame retar-dancy of ABS/clay /MWNTs nanocomposites was strongly affected by the formation of a network structure. Flammability properties... 

A chapter focusing on the use of nanocomposites in electrochemical devices is presented by Schoonman, Zavyalov, and Pivkina. A wide range of metal (metal ox-ide)/polymer nanocomposites has been synthesized using Al, Sn, Zn, Pd, and Ti as a metal source and poly-para-xylylene (PPX) as a polymeric matrix. The properties of the nanocomposites were studied by comparing structure, morphology, electrical properties, oxidation kinetics, and electrochemical parameters. 

The art of filler dispersion in polymer matrix is easily determined by X-ray analysis especially WAXS analysis. The intensity and position of X-ray diffraction peaks reveals the exact idea regarding the morphological structure of polymer nanocomposites. Figure 22.11 compares reduced graphite oxide dispersions in NR matrix by different processes such as milling and solution casting methods. 

The CNT/polymer nanocomposites can be fabricated by means of solution blending, in situ polymerization and melt compounding [33-39]. The properties of CNT /polymer nanocomposites are directly related to their hierarchical microstructures. The processing conditions and polymers selected dictate the morphology, structure, electrical and mechanical properties of CNT/polymer nanocomposites. In addition, exfoliation and homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in the polymer matrix also play important roles in electrical properties of the composites. The agglomeration of nanotubes is detrimental to the formation of a conductive path network through the matrix of percolative CNT/polymer nanocomposites. 

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