Immiscible polymer blends compatibilized with reactive hybrid nanoparticles: Morphologies and properties. (6th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fu, Zhiang; Wang, Hengti; Zhao, Xuewen; Horiuchi, Shin; Li, Yongjin
• Is Part Of: Polymer. Volume 132(2017)
• Page Start: 353
• Page End: 361
• Publication Date: 2017-12-06
• Subjects: Hybrid nanoparticles -- Reactive compatibilization -- Interface; Polymers -- Periodicals; Polymerization -- Periodicals; Polymères -- Périodiques; Polymérisation -- Périodiques; 547.7
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2017.11.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3861

Abstract

Abstract: Hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) having both reactive epoxide groups (from polyhedral oligomeric-silsesquioxane (POSS) grafts) and long poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains, POSS(epoxy)x -g-PMMAy, were synthesized and used as reactive compatibilizers for immiscible polyvinylidene fluoride/poly(l -lactide) (PVDF/PLLA) (50/50) blends. It was anticipated that the NPs would react with the PLLA during melt mixing and would be located solely at the PLLA/PVDF interface because the PMMA side chains and the in-situ grafted PLLA chains would entangle with the PVDF and PLLA phases, respectively. However, effective compatibilization was only achieved by first blending the NPs with the PLLA followed by melt mixing with the PVDF. Elemental mapping images indicated that the NPs had a greater affinity for PVDF than for PLLA and were encapsulated in PVDF during one-step melt mixing or initial mixing with PVDF. The affinity of the compatibilizer with the blend components is therefore critically important for the effective compatibilization of immiscible polymer blends. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Reactive hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized and used as compatibilizers for immiscible blend. The mixing sequence had a great influence on the in situ reactive compatibilization. The affinity between the NP cores and the individual blend components affects the final compatibilization effects.