Dielectric properties of nanocomposites based on polystyrene and polyhedral oligomeric phenethyl-silsesquioxanes

Nanocomposites were prepared by solution blending of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane with phenethyl substituents (PhenethylPOSS) into polystyrene (PS). The prepared materials were investigated by dielectric spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and density measurements. Additional FTIR investigations were carried out. Pure polystyrene shows two relaxation processes, an intermediate beta*-process at lower and the a-relaxation at higher temperatures, the latter corresponding to segmental dynamics (dynamic glass transition). The molecular assignment of the beta*-process needs further investigation. PhenethylPOSS can be incorporated into PS up to about 40 wt % without any indication of phase separation. With increasing PhenethylPOSS content, the cc-relaxation of the composites shifts to lower temperatures and the loss peak broadens. Thus, the main effect of the nanofiller in the polystyrene matrix is to enhance the segmental dynamics, i.e., plasticization. The incorporation of approximately 40 wt % (approximately 5 mol %) PhenethylPOSS shifts the glass transition temperature T, by 50 K to lower temperatures. The obtained results for polystyrene are discussed together with those reported recently for polycarbonate where a phase-separated morphology is observed for higher concentrations of PhenethylPOSS. The different behavior of PhenethylPOSS in polystyrene and polycarbonate is interpreted in terms of the different interaction of the phenyl rings within the POSS substituents with the phenyl rings of the polymers. For polystyrene, the interaction is stronger than for polycarbonate which probably leads to the enhanced miscibility of PhenethylPOSS into polystyrene. A detailed analysis of the temperature dependence of the dielectric relaxation strengths points