Influence of nanoparticle surface treatment on particle dispersion and interfacial adhesion in low-density polyethylene/aluminium oxide nanocomposites

The effect of silsesquioxane coating of aluminium oxide nanoparticles on their dispersion and on the interfacial strength between nanoparticles and polymer matrix in low-density polyethylene composites was studied. The surface chemistry of the nanoparticles was tailored from hydroxyl groups to alkyl groups with different lengths by reacting methyltrimethoxysilane (Cl), octyltriethoxysilane (C8) or octadecyltrimethoxysilane (C18) with aluminium oxide nanoparticles. The core-shell structure of the coated nanoparticles was assessed by transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. The inter-particle distance of the nanocomposite based on C8-coated nanoparticles showed only a small deviation from the ideal value, indicating a very good particle dispersion in the polymer. The interfacial adhesion between nanoparticles and matrix was determined by stretching nanocomposite specimens in a tensile testing machine to strains well beyond the yield point. A drop in the stress-strain curve indicated the onset of cavitation and necking in the nanocomposites. Samples stretched to different strain levels were studied by scanning electron microscopy and the cavitation was found to be confined to particle interfaces. The composite based on C18-coated nanoparticles showed the highest strain at cavitation/necking suggesting a high interfacial adhesion between nanoparticles and polymer. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.