Abstract
Nanodiamonds (NDs) can considerably improve the mechanical and thermal properties of polymeric composites. However, the tendency of NDs to aggregate limits the potential of these non-toxic, mechanically- and chemically-robust nanofillers. In this work, tough, flexible, and stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte films composed of cross-linked poly(butyl acrylate-co-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (P(BA-co-DMAEMA)) were prepared by photopolymerization. The effects of the added carboxylate-functionalized NDs on their mechanical and stimuli-responsive properties were studied. When the negatively charged NDs were added to the polymerization media directly, the mechanical properties of the films changed only slightly, because of the uneven distribution of the aggregated NDs in the films. In order to disperse and distribute the NDs more evenly, a prepolymerized polycation block copolymer complexing agent was used during the photopolymerization process. This approach improved the mechanical properties of the films and enhanced their thermally-induced, reversible phase-transition behavior.
Highlights
In composites, nanofillers have an advantage over microfillers, because of their increased surface area and, higher interfacial adhesion, which enhances the mechanical properties of the composites [1,2,3,4,5]
In order to study the effects of the NDs and the PDMAEMA-b-polyethylene oxide (PEO) complexing agent, a series of films were prepared by Polymers 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW
A series of cross-linked, 0–2 wt % nanodiamond (ND)-containing poly(butyl acrylate-co-dimeth ylaminoethyl methacrylate) (P(BA-co-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA))) composite films were prepared by photopolymerization with or without a linear block copolymer complexing agent, PEO-b-PDMAEMA
Summary
Nanofillers have an advantage over microfillers, because of their increased surface area and, higher interfacial adhesion, which enhances the mechanical properties of the composites [1,2,3,4,5]. NDs retain the many beneficial properties of a macrodiamond, down to the nanoscale. These properties range from mechanical hardness and a high Young’s modulus; thermal conductivity; and wear-, corrosion-, and chemical-resistance, to a good biocompatibility [6]. Owing to the large surface-area-to-volume ratio of the nanoparticles, much of the ND surface is in contact with the surrounding environment, enhancing the interactions between the ND and its surroundings [12]
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