Chemically Tailored Interfaces in Nanocomposites

01.09.2008 - 30.06.2012
Research funding project
New material properties of inorganic-organic nanocomposites are obtained by the incorporation of inorganic building blocks on the nanometer length scale in a polymer matrix. Two crucial parameters in the preparation of these materials are the synergistic combination of the properties of the single components and their homogeneous distribution in the material. Based on the size of the nanobuilding blocks and the resulting large surface, the chemical control of the interface to the polymer matrix represents an important factor for the nanocomposite properties. Chemical surface-modification of the inorganic components is crucial for a homogeneous distribution in the polymer and allows a stable chemical linkage between the constituents, which results in an improvement of the mechanical properties and increased materials stability. In the proposed project the surface of silica and zirconia nanoparticles is chemically functionalized and the influence of this surface-modification on the distribution of the components in the polymer matrix and on the mechanical properties of the formed nanocomposites is investigated. Anchor groups of the coupling agents, their chemical composition and reactive groups which allow a linkage to the polymer matrix are systematically varied. Variations of the inorganic building block size and the relative composition of the nanocomposites represent further parameters in the studies of these materials. The obtained nanobuilding blocks are incorporated in different polymers by copolymerization and the resulting materials are investigated in an interdisciplinary approach by physicists concerning their internal nanostructure and its change with respect to mechanical stress, as well as by materials scientists regarding their mechanical properties. Both properties will be correlated with changes at the interface as well as with the size of the nanoparticles to obtain novel insights in structure-property relationships of interfaces in nanocomposites.

People

Project leader

Project personnel

Institute

Grant funds

  • FWF - Österr. Wissenschaftsfonds (National) Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

Research focus

  • Composite Materials: 60%
  • Structure-Property Relationsship: 20%
  • Surfaces and Interfaces: 20%

Keywords

GermanEnglish
Nanokompositenanocomposites
PolymerePolymers
Mechanische Eigenschaftenmechanical properties
NanopartikelNanoparticles
GrenzflächenInterfaces

External partner

  • Institut für Werkstoffwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnologie
  • Universität Wien, Fakultät für Physik, Streuung und Spektroskopie

Publications