Effect of the Surface Structure of a 2D Nanofiller on the Elastic Modulus of Polymer Nanocomposites

Resumo

It is shown that the surface characteristics of a 2D nanofiller (boron nitride) in a polymer matrix significantly change with an increase in the filler content due to aggregation of the initial nanoparticles. At the aggregation threshold of the nanofiller, an abrupt decrease in these characteristics is observed; it leads to an extreme dependence of the elastic modulus of poly(vinyl alcohol)/boron nitride nanocomposites. The surface structure of a 2D nanofiller determines the efficiency of mechanical-stress transfer at the interface and the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites.