The Thermo-Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of Superhydrophobic Pbz/TiO2 Composites

Abstract

Polymer composites display the synergistic property of the polymer (matrix) and inorganic particles (filler material), when their combination is properly utilized. In the present work, polymer composites possessing a superhydrophobic property are fabricated by imposing the combination of both surface free energy and surface roughness. Polybenzoxazine (Pbz) is a choice of low surface free energy material and TiO2 particles contribute to create surface roughness. Thus, Pbz/TiO2 composites were fabricated by varying TiO2 contents to produce superhydrophobicity. The hydrophobicity increased from 94° for Pbz to 140° for Pbz/T5. The advantage of molecular design flexibility is also utilized to synthesize benzoxazine monomer (Bzo), which then undergoes thermally induced self-polymerization with different contents of TiO2 to produce Pbz-TiO2 composites. The structure analysis and curing behavior of the Bzo monomer was examined using FT-IR, NMR and DSC techniques. Whereas the properties of the Pbz/TiO2 composites were analyzed by WCA, SEM, DMA, TGA, and dielectric techniques.