Reversible thermal stiffening in polymer nanocomposites

Erkan Senses, Andrew Isherwood, Pinar Akcora

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Miscible polymer blends with different glass transition temperatures (Tg) are known to create confined interphases between glassy and mobile chains. Here, we show that nanoparticles adsorbed with a high-Tg polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate), and dispersed in a low-Tg matrix polymer, poly(ethylene oxide), exhibit a liquid-to-solid transition at temperatures above Tg's of both polymers. The mechanical adaptivity of nanocomposites to temperature underlies the existence of dynamically asymmetric bound layers on nanoparticles and more importantly reveals their impact on macroscopic mechanical response of composites. The unusual reversible stiffening behavior sets these materials apart from conventional polymer composites that soften upon heating. The presented stiffening mechanism in polymer nanocomposites can be used in applications for flexible electronics or mechanically induced actuators responding to environmental changes like temperature or magnetic fields.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)14682-14689
Number of pages8
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume7
Issue number27
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Jul 2015

Keywords

  • adaptive
  • confinement
  • dynamic coupling
  • interphase
  • miscible blend
  • polymer nanocomposite
  • reversible stiffening

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