Polymer Chain Dynamics in Intercalated Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Nanoplatelet Blends

The dynamics of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) blends with small amounts of Cloisite 30B nanoplatelets were investigated via broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The terminal relaxation, or normal mode of PCL, was found to be strongly influenced by the presence of the nanoplatelets, exhibiting a relaxation from PCL chains within the Cloisite platelets as well as a bulk-like relaxation. These results, as well as X-ray scattering and rheological results from the literature, help to form a clearer picture of how the structure and dynamics relate to the bulk physical properties in these systems. Cloisite was observed to have minimal impact on both the glassy state dynamics as well as the segmental dynamics, due to the relatively weak interactions between the polymer and the platelets.