Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) reinforced-unsaturated polyester hybrid nanocomposites: Thermal, thermomechanical and morphological properties

Unsaturated polyester (UP)-POSS hybrid nanocomposites have been developed successfully through the reaction between maleimide groups Octa (maleimido phenyl) silsesquioxane (OMPS) and olefinic reactive sites (maleimide and styrenic units) present in the unsaturated polyester resin system through free radical polymerization using benzoyl peroxide (BP) as the initiator. The hybrid molecular structure of nanocomposites resulted was evaluated by FT-IR spectroscopy. The data obtained from XRD, SEM and TEM analysis ascertain the presence of homogeneous morphology and nanoscale dispersion of OMPS into the polyester hybrid nanocomposites. Data resulted from thermal (DSC and TGA) and thermo-mechanical (DMA) studies indicated that the incorporation of octamaleimide functionalized POSS into unsaturated polyester systems appreciably improved the thermal properties of the hybrid nanocomposites according to their percentage concentration.