Crystal Growth in Alumina/poly(ethylene terephthalate) Nanocomposite Films

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2007 · Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/polb.21096· OSTI ID:929872

Yang, H; Bhimaraj, P; Yang, L; Siegel, R; Schadler, L

The crystal growth and morphology in 150-nm-thick PET nanocomposite thin films with alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanoparticle fillers (38 nm size) were investigated for nanoparticle loadings from 0 to 5 wt%. Transmission electron microscopy of the films showed that at 1 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, the nanoparticles were well dispersed in the film and the average size was close to the reported 38 nm. Above 2 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, the nanoparticles started to agglomerate. The crystal growth and morphological evolution in the PET nanocomposite films kept at an isothermal temperature of 217 C were monitored as a function of the holding time using in situ atomic force microscopy. It was found that the crystal nucleation and growth of PET was strongly dependent on the dispersed particles in the films. At 1 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, the overall crystal growth rate of PET lamellae was slower than that of the PET homopolymer films. Above 2 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, the crystal growth rate increased with nanoparticle loading because of heterogeneous nucleation. In addition, in these PET nanocomposite thin films, the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles induced preferentially oriented edge-on lamellae with respect to the surface, which was not the case in unfilled PET as determined by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
• Sponsoring Organization: Doe - Office Of Science
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 929872
• Report Number(s): BNL--80444-2008-JA
• Journal Information: Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 45
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
LAMELLAE
MORPHOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
NUCLEATION
PARTICLE SIZE
POLYETHYLENES
THIN FILMS
national synchrotron light source