The effect of silicon dioxide concentration on thermodynamic properties of polystyrene-based composites

Abstract

Sol-gel synthesis of a silicon dioxide powder is carried out. The samples of polystyrene/silicon dioxide film composites with different concentrations of the filling agent are obtained. Studies using differential scanning calorimetry show that the dependence of the glass transition temperature of the composite on the composition is nonmonotonic with a minimum at 1 wt % SiO2. It is concluded that there is a plasticizing action of small (less than 1 wt %) amounts of silica and a predominant effect of intermolecular interactions of the filling agent with the polymer at high SiO2 concentrations (more than 1 wt %) are concluded.