Abstract
We explore the flow properties of nanocomposite melts where the particles have bimodal size distributions and experience a weak attraction produced by suspending silica particles in polyethylene glycol melts with a molecular weight of 2000 (PEG2000). The polymer is unentangled and adsorbs to the particle surface. The volume fraction ratio of large particles to total particle volume fraction, R, is systematically varied to study the effects of this polymer-induced attraction on suspension rheology. The maximum volume fraction, ϕm, of the particles varies in a nonmonotonic manner of R as demonstrated in studies of the same mixtures when suspended in polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400 (PEG400), where the particles experience excluded volume interactions. The dynamical arrest volume fraction ϕx, of nanocomposite melts in PEG2000 monotonically increases with R. In frequency sweep experiments, the plateau elastic modulus is dominated by attractive interactions and increases with the total partic...
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