A new class of reinforcing additives for polymer composite materials

Abstract

The work is devoted to the development of a method for obtaining new environmentally friendly reinforcing additives for polymer composite materials - xerogels of mixed oxides of transition metals. A method for obtaining nanosized particles of iron and manganese xerogels from true solutions by particle coarsening as a result of a redox reaction has been investigated. The use of sol-gel technology made it possible to obtain xerogels containing particles with a spinel structure. Cationic, anionic, and neutral water-soluble polymers were used to stabilize particle sizes during synthesis. The fractional composition of xerogel nanoparticles has been investigated. It is shown that when using cationic polymers, spinels are formed with the smallest particle sizes and a narrow dispersion of the size distribution. The obtained nanosized transition metal oxides with a spinel structure are planned to be used for reinforcing composite polymer materials in order to improve the mechanical and tribotechnical properties of the composites. Modification of phenylone with ultradispersed spinel particles makes it possible to increase the tribological characteristics of composites due to the formation of a friction film on the tribocontact as a result of the specific interaction of reinforcing additives with friction surfaces. The proposed method for the synthesis of reinforcing additives is characterized by simplicity of implementation, availability of reagents, high productivity and good repeatability of results.