Suspended carbon black fluids reinforcing and toughening of poly(vinyl alcohol) composites. (15th September 2017) - Yin, Xianze
Abstract: A convenient and green approach was utilized to prepare the suspended carbon black fluids (SCBF) using carboxylic CB nanoparticles with diameters of 15 nm as the core and poly(ethylene oxide)- block -poly(propylene oxide)- block -poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO- b -PPO- b -PEO) as surface modifier via hydrogen bonding interaction. It was found that when the total polymer content (strongly adsorbed layer and weakly adsorbed or free layer) was greater than 60 wt%, the SCBF exhibited liquid-like behavior without solvent. More interestingly, the flow mechanism mainly related to surface polymer content, which greatly differed from ionically or covalently nanofluids systems. Besides, the thermal, dispersibility, electrical conductivity properties and rheological behaviors, as well as microstructure of SCBF were systematically investigated using various methods. Moreover, the SCBF as fillers were used to prepare SCBF/Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composites for producing the simultaneous reinforcement and plasticization effect due to the unique fluidity of SCBF and interfacial interactions between the PVA molecules and SCBF via hydrogen bondings. Graphic abstract: Highlights: Suspended carbon black nanofluids (SCBF) are fabricated by using PEO- b -PPO- b -PEO modified carboxylation CB nanoparticles. The SCBF exhibits liquid-like behavior without solvent when the surface polymer content of SCBF is greater than 60 wt%. The fluidity of SCBF are relevant to synergistic effect of CB particles and surface polymer that acting as the solvent. Fluidity of SCBF and hydrogen bonding interaction between the PVA and SCBF make for obtaining high performance composites.