Investigation of temperature-dependent mechanical properties of CdS/PMMA nanocomposites

Nanoparticles of chemically synthesized CdS with the different weight percents (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 wt%) have been embedded into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by solution casting method. The obtained CdS/PMMA nanocomposites are characterized through small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscope measurements. Temperature-dependent mechanical properties of CdS/PMMA nanocomposites have been studied at different temperatures (30, 50, 70, and 90 degrees C) using stress-strain behavior through dynamic mechanical analyzer. Results indicate that CdS nanoparticles are uniformly distributed at low weight percent, and agglomeration of particles is observed at high weight percent and all the quantities obtained from stress-strain relations, i.e., Young's modulus, tensile strength, and fracture energy increase up to 6 wt.% of CdS nanoparticles and then decrease for further increase of weight percent of CdS nanoparticles.