Influence of three-dimensional nanoparticle branching on the Young's modulus of nanocomposites: Effect of interface orientation.

ABSTRACT: With the availability of nanoparticles with controlled size and shape, there has been renewed interest in the mechanical properties of polymer/nanoparticle blends. Despite the large number of theoretical studies, the effect of branching for nanofillers tens of nanometers in size on the elastic stiffness of these composite materials has received limited attention. Here, we examine the Young's modulus of nanocomposites based on a common block copolymer (BCP) blended with linear nanorods and nanoscale tetrapod Quantum Dots (tQDs), in electrospun fibers and thin films. We use a phenomenological lattice spring model (LSM) as a guide in understanding the changes in the Young's modulus of such composites as a function of filler shape. Reasonable agreement is achieved between the LSM and the exper

SUBMITTER: Raja SN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4450427 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature