Unexpected molecular weight effect in polymer nanocomposites

Cheng, Shiwang; Holt, Adam P.; Wang, Huiqun; Fan, Fei; Bocharova, Vera; Martin, Halie J.; Etampawala, Thusitha N.; White, Benjamin Tyler; Saito, Tomonori; Kang, Nam -Goo; Dadmun, Mark D.; Mays, Jimmy W.; Sokolov, Alexei P.

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.038302

Title: Unexpected molecular weight effect in polymer nanocomposites

Journal Article · Fri Jan 22 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.038302· OSTI ID:1265983

Cheng, Shiwang ^[1]; Holt, Adam P. ^[2]; Wang, Huiqun ^[2]; Fan, Fei ^[2]; Bocharova, Vera ^[1]; Martin, Halie J. ^[2]; Etampawala, Thusitha N. ^[2]; White, Benjamin Tyler ^[1]; Saito, Tomonori ^[1]; Kang, Nam -Goo ^[2]; Dadmun, Mark D. ^[2]; Mays, Jimmy W. ^[2]; Sokolov, Alexei P. ^[3]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Here, the properties of the interfacial layer between the polymer matrix and nanoparticles largely determine the macroscopic properties of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). Although the static thickness of the interfacial layer was found to increase with the molecular weight (MW), the influence of MW on segmental relaxation and the glass transition in this layer remains to be explored. In this Letter, we show an unexpected MW dependence of the interfacial properties in PNC with attractive polymer-nanoparticle interactions: the thickness of the interfacial layer with hindered segmental relaxation decreases as MW increases, in sharp constrast to theoretical predictions. Further analyses reveal a reduction in mass density of the interfacial layer with increasing MW, which can explain these unexpected dynamic effects. Our observations call for a significant revision of the current understandings of PNCs and suggest interesting ways to tailor their properties.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1265983

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1235749

Journal Information:: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, Issue 3; ISSN 0031-9007

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 111 works

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