Title:
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Functionalised polymers and nanoparticle/polymer blends
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The incorporation of nanoparticles into polydimethylsiloxane polymers either in the
form of physical blending or chemical crosslinking has long been studied as it can
improve the properties of composite materials. Interactions between the host polymer
and the filler particle, filler concentration and conformation of each component are the
key factors that influence these properties. Understanding the effect of these factors is of
fundamental importance in all practical applications of composite materials. This thesis
describes the study of a range of PDMS composites by using a variety of experimental
techniques. The main techniques used were spin-spin (T2) relaxation and diffusion
NMR spectroscopy, rheology and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS).
The molecular mobility of a series of PDMS melts has been studied for both
unentangled and entangled molecular weight regimes separated by the critical
entanglement molecular weight (Mc) of the polymer. The experimental results revealed
the effect of molecular weight and polydispersity of the polymers on their segmental
mobility. The dramatic decrease of chain mobility observed at molecular weight above
Mc was attributed to the effect of chain entanglements.
The effect of nano-sized trimethylsilylated polysilicate resin (R2) on the chain mobility
of PDMS in the form of physically blended was also examined. Two different
concentrations (17 and 30 vol%) of R2 were incorporated into a wide range molecular
weight of PDMS melts. Below Mc, the R2 particle was found to reinforce the PDMS at
all particle loadings, whereas a plasticisation effect was observed for high molecular
weight PDMS above Mc. This was attributed to a reduction of the degree of the
entanglements when polymer chains adsorbed on particles.
Chemically bonded composites of PDMS and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
(POSS) were successfully synthesised via hydrosilylation. The length of the PDMS
central block was found to affect both the size and the molecular mobility of the triblock
polymers. The weight fraction of POSS and substituted groups on POSS were also seen
to affect the molecular mobility.
Finally, a series ofrandom crosslink polymer films ofPDMS and phenylsilsesquioxane
(TPh) was studied by AFM, TEM, SAXS and SANS techniques to investigate the
factors influencing the optical clarity of the samples. The degree of swelling and the
segmental mobility of the sample films swollen in good and poor solvents were also
studied.
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