Controlling the interface interaction of polymer/filler is essential for the fabrication of high-performance polymer composites. In this work, a core-shell structured hybrid (SiO(2)-GO) was prepared and introduced into an epoxy polymer matrix as a new filler. The incorporation of the hybrid optimized the modulus, strength and fracture toughness of the composites simultaneously. The ultrathin GO shells coated on silica surfaces were regarded as the main reason for the enhancement. Located at the silica-epoxy interface, GO served as an unconventional coupling agent of the silica filler, which effectively enhanced the interfacial interaction of the epoxy/SiO(2)-GO composites, and thus greatly improved the mechanical properties of the epoxy resin. We believe this new and effective approach that using GO as a novel fillers surface modifier may open a novel interface design strategy for developing high performance composites.
Thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) have attracted considerable attention as typical "green" polymers in recent years and have been widely used in industry because they combine the excellent resilience of conventional elastomers and the easy recyclability of thermoplastics. With a new understanding of the formation and agglomeration of the rubber nanoparticles in ethylene propylene diene monomer/polypropylene (EPDM/PP) TPV, we revealed a new mechanism for the morphology evolution of TPV during dynamic vulcanization (DV). The phase inversion in TPV is dominated by the formation and agglomeration of the rubber nanoparticles rather than the elongation and breakup of the crosslinked rubber phase as previously reported. The size of the rubber agglomerates increases with increasing DV time and then remains constant after DV. In addition, we studied the relationship between the cross-linking of the rubber phase, formation and agglomeration of the rubber nanoparticles, and phase inversion and variation of the rubber network during DV. This study provides guidance to control the microstructure of TPV in preparation of high performance TPV products for automobile and electronic applications.
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