Agglomeration of distributed particles is the main problem in polymer composites reinforced with such particles. It leads to a decrease in mechanical performance and its poor reproducibility. Thus, development of methods to address the agglomeration of particles is relevant. Evaluation of the size and concentration of agglomerates is required to select a method to address agglomeration. The paper analyzes aluminum oxide particles agglomeration in particles-reinforced polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) composites. Quantitative parameters of polystyrene-coated aluminum oxide particles agglomerates are obtained for the first time in this article. Unlike uncoated aluminum oxide particles, when coated aluminum oxide particles are used, agglomerates concentration in polymer composites decreases approx. 10 times. It demonstrates that modification of submicron particles by a polymer coating decreases the number of agglomerates in the polymer composite. The use of transmittance and opacity values to estimate particles agglomerates is reasonable in this article. It is shown that the difference in optical performance of specimens reinforced with coated and the original particles is related to the number and average size of agglomerates in the specimens. For example, when the concentration exceeds 0.2%, transmittance values for the specimens reinforced with coated particles are greater than the ones for the specimens reinforced with the original particles.
A thin‐film styrene polymer–carbon nanoparticle composite was obtained in a single‐stage alternating current dielectric barrier discharge plasma‐chemical process. The allotropic forms of the carbon nanoparticle filler were traced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM revealed an extraordinary adhesive encapsulation of the carbon nanoparticles by the polymer. It was found that the corona discharge regime provides an onion‐like carbon filler that enhances the mechanical strength and chemical resistance of the synthesized polymer–carbon nanoparticle film. Measurements of the electrical properties of the films implicitly confirmed the uniformity of the carbon filler distribution.
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