Morphological and mechanical characterization of a PMMA/CdS nanocomposite

Abstract

Thick film of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/CdS nanocomposite have been synthesized by the solution casting process. The nanostructure of the CdS particles has been ascertained through the small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. The surface morphological characterization of the PMMA/CdS nanocomposite has been done through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The variation of mechanical loss factor (Tanδ) with temperature and tensile properties of prepared samples have been studied using Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). This study reveals that the glass transition temperature (T_g), Young’s modulus, and fracture energy of the PMMA/CdS nanocomposite are greatly influenced by the existence of interfacial energetic interaction between dispersed CdS nanoparticles and the matrix of PMMA.

Keywords

poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) / filler nanoparticles / polymer semiconducting nanocomposite / tensile properties / glass transition temperature

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