Composites of Plasma Surface Functionalized Barium Titanate Nanoparticles Covalently Attached to Epoxide Matrices: Synthesis and Evaluation

Inorganic/organic nanocomposites consisting of surface functionalized barium titanate (BTO) nanoparticles covalently bonded to epoxy polymeric matrices are described. A plasma-enhanced CVD process was employed to functionalize the particle surfaces with reactive amine groups. Subsequently, these modified particles were reacted with an epoxide monomer to synthesize the final nanocomposites, containing particle loadings ranging from 1 to 5 weight percent. Control samples, containing unmodified BTO, were also synthesized under identical reaction conditions and particle loading. The resultant nanocomposites were characterized spectroscopically and microscopically, and their physical and thermal properties were evaluated. The results obtained reveal a more uniform distribution of the surface modified BTO in the composites relative to that observed with the unmodified particles. Additionally, the physical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites containing the plasma modified particles were determined to be significantly improved over that of the pure polymer or the composites containing the unmodified particles, for each level of loading employed in this study. In light of these improved properties, it appears that the surface modifications employed significantly improve the interfacial interactions between the inorganic particles and the organic matrices in these nanocomposites.