Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites: a review from preparation to processing

This review aims at reporting on very recent developments in syntheses, properties and (future) applications of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites. This new type of materials, based on smectite clays usually rendered hydrophobic through ionic exchange of the sodium interlayer cation with an onium cation, may be prepared via various synthetic routes comprising exfoliation adsorption, in situ intercalative polymerization and melt intercalation. The whole range of polymer matrices is covered, i.e. thermoplastics, thermosets and elastomers. Two types of structure may be obtained, namely intercalated nanocomposites where the polymer chains are sandwiched in between silicate layers and exfoliated nanocomposites where the separated, individual silicate layers are more or less uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix. This new family of materials exhibits enhanced properties at very low filler level, usually inferior to 5 wt.%, such as increased Young’s modulus and storage modulus, increase in thermal stability and gas barrier properties and good flame retardancy.

Polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites: preparation, properties and uses of a new class of materials

Structural engineering of polyurethane coatings for high performance applications

Recent developments in the chemistry of halogen-free flame retardant polymers

Shape-memory polymers and their composites: Stimulus methods and applications

A series of linear thermoplastic hybrid materials containing an organic polystyrene backbone and large inorganic silsesquioxane groups pendent to the polymer backbone have been synthesized and characterized. Our preliminary results indicate that the pendent inorganic groups drastically modify the thermal properties of the polystyrene and that interchain and/or intrachain oligomeric silsesquioxane interactions result in variations in solubility and thermal properties

Hybrid organic-inorganic thermoplastics : Styryl-based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane polymers

Linear Hybrid Polymer Building Blocks: Methacrylate-Functionalized Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Monomers and Polymers

Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites as high performance ablative materials

The mechanical relaxation behavior and microstructure of a series of novel norbornyl−POSS organic−inorganic copolymers have been investigated. We have examined the influence on physical properties of both the weight fraction of POSS−norbornyl monomer and the corner group composition. POSS refers to the polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane inorganic/organic macromer, which is composed of an inorganic Si8O12 spherical core surrounded by seven inert organic corner groups and one reactive norbornyl moiety. It was observed that POSS copolymerization enhances the α-relaxation temperature, Tα, in proportion to the weight fraction of the POSS−norbornyl comonomer. Interestingly, however, the magnitude of this dependence is larger for the POSS−norbornyl comonomer possessing cyclohexyl corner groups (CyPOSS) than for the copolymer with cyclopentyl corner groups (CpPOSS). Although POSS copolymerization yields only slight enhancement of the room temperature storage modulus, at temperatures lower than a strong mechanic...

https://mather.syr.edu/Mather/1999/1999%20macromolecules%20mather%20mechanical%20relaxation.pdf

Mechanical Relaxation and Microstructure of Poly(norbornyl-POSS) Copolymers

A diverse and entirely new class of monomer and polymer technology based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) reagents has been developed. POSS reagents are unique in that they are physically large (approx. 15 A diameter and 1000 amu) and are composed of a robust silicon–oxygen framework that can be easily functionalized with a variety of organic substituents. Appropriate functionalization of POSS cages allows for their incorporation into traditional thermoplastic resins without modification of existing manufacturing processes. The incorporation of POSS segments into linear copolymer systems results in increased glass transition and decomposition temperatures, increased oxygen permeability and reduced flammability and heat evolution, as well as modified mechanical properties relative to conventional organic systems. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Joseph D. Lichtenhan

Papers

Hybrid organic-inorganic thermoplastics : Styryl-based polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane polymers

Linear Hybrid Polymer Building Blocks: Methacrylate-Functionalized Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane Monomers and Polymers

Polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites as high performance ablative materials

Mechanical Relaxation and Microstructure of Poly(norbornyl-POSS) Copolymers

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane(POSS)‐based polymers