Poly(methyl methacrylate)/Methacryl-POSS Nanocomposites with Excellent Thermal Properties

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites containing (methacryloxy)propyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (methacryl-POSS) were prepared by bulk-polymerization process. The structures of the products were characterized by FTIR, solid-state NMR, TEM, XRD, DSC, TGA, XPS and UV-Vis spectra. The hybrid materials were found to be largely homogeneous. DSC and TGA results indicate that the thermal properties of PMMA nanocomposites are significantly improved. The glass transition temperature (T-g) and thermal decomposition temperature (T-dec) of the nanocomposites increased by 58 and 110 degrees C, respectively. The bulk hybrid material maintains excellent optical transparency in visible region.