In Situ Synthesis of Hybrid Inorganic⁻Polymer Nanocomposites.

Mohammed Adnan,Julia Glaum,Antoine Dalod,Mari-Ann Einarsrud,Mustafa Balci

doi:10.3390/polym10101129

Mohammed Adnan, Julia Glaum + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10101129

Copy DOI

Abstract

Hybrid inorganic–polymer nanocomposites can be employed in diverse applications due to the potential combination of desired properties from both the organic and inorganic components. The use of novel bottom–up in situ synthesis methods for the fabrication of these nanocomposites is advantageous compared to top–down ex situ mixing methods, as it offers increased control over the structure and properties of the material. In this review, the focus will be on the application of the sol–gel process for the synthesis of inorganic oxide nanoparticles in epoxy and polysiloxane matrices. The effect of the synthesis conditions and the reactants used on the inorganic structures formed, the interactions between the polymer chains and the inorganic nanoparticles, and the resulting properties of the nanocomposites are appraised from several studies over the last two decades. Lastly, alternative in situ techniques and the applications of various polymer–inorganic oxide nanocomposites are briefly discussed.

Highlights

Hybrid inorganic–polymer materials have been studied extensively over the last 30 years due to the unique combination of properties that can arise, especially when the inorganic domains possess a dimension in the nanoscale, forming a nanocomposite [1,2,3,4,5,6]
The contact angle with water decreased with increasing TiO2 content, showing a reduced hydrophobicity in the hybrids
The synthesis of inorganic oxide nanoparticles in situ directly in the polymer matrix is an alternative approach to the preparation of polymer nanocomposites, contrary to nanocomposites processed using traditional ex situ mixing techniques

Summary

Introduction

Hybrid inorganic–polymer materials have been studied extensively over the last 30 years due to the unique combination of properties that can arise, especially when the inorganic domains possess a dimension in the nanoscale (below 100 nm), forming a nanocomposite [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The potential combination of the advantages of inorganic materials (e.g., high hardness, high thermal stability, high refractive index, chemical stability, etc.) with those of organic polymers (e.g., processability, flexibility, low weight, etc.) can enable a wide range of applications for these nanocomposites. The defining feature of nanocomposites is the larger interfacial area of the nanoscale inorganic fillers, in comparison to traditional composites This larger interfacial area results in a considerable volume of interfacial polymer, for a lower filler content, with properties that are unique from the bulk polymer [2,20,21]. Hybrid materials can be divided into two classes, based on the nature and strength of these interactions: In Class I hybrids, there are only weak bonds (e.g., van der Waals, or hydrogen bonds) between the organic and inorganic components, while in

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion