“From polyester grafting onto POSS nanocage by ring-opening polymerization to high performance polyester/POSS nanocomposites”. Goffin A-L, Duquesne E, Raquez J-M, Miltner HE, Ke X, Alexandre M, Van Tendeloo G, van Mele B, Dubois P, Journal of materials chemistry 20, 9415 (2010). http://doi.org/10.1039/c0jm00283f
Abstract: Polyester-grafted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanohybrids selectively produced by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and L,L-lactide (A.-L. Goffin, E. Duquesne, S. Moins, M. Alexandre, Ph. Dubois, Eur. Polym. Journal, 2007, 43, 4103) were studied as masterbatches by melt-blending within their corresponding commercial polymeric matrices, i.e., poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L,L-lactide) (PLA). For the sake of comparison, neat POSS nanoparticles were also dispersed in PCL and PLA. The objective was to prepare aliphatic polyester-based nanocomposites with enhanced crystallization behavior, and therefore, enhanced thermo-mechanical properties. Wide-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy attested for the dispersion of individualized POSS nanoparticles in the resulting nanocomposite materials only when the polyester-grafted POSS nanohybrid was used as a masterbatch. The large impact of such finely dispersed (grafted) nanoparticles on the crystallization behavior for the corresponding polyester matrices was noticed, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. Indeed, well-dispersed POSS nanoparticles acted as efficient nucleating sites, significantly increasing the crystallinity degree of both PCL and PLA matrices. As a result, a positive impact on thermo-mechanical properties was highlighted by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Times cited: 42
DOI: 10.1039/c0jm00283f
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“Functionalization of MWCNTs with atomic nitrogen”. Ruelle B, Felten A, Ghijsen J, Drube W, Johnson RL, Liang D, Erni R, Van Tendeloo G, Sophie P, Dubois P, Godfroid T, Hecq M, Bittencourt C;, Micron 40, 85 (2009). http://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2008.01.003
Abstract: In this study of the changes induced by exposing MWCNTs to a nitrogen plasma, it was found by HRTEM that the atomic nitrogen exposure does not significantly etch the surface of the carbon nanotube (CNT). Nevertheless, the atomic nitrogen generated by a microwave plasma effectively grafts amine, nitrile, amide, and oxime groups onto the CNT surface, as observed by XPS, altering the density of valence electronic states, as seen in UPS. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 1.98
Times cited: 24
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2008.01.003
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“Functionalization of MWCNTs with atomic nitrogen : electronic structure”. Ruelle B, Felten A, Ghijsen J, Drube W, Johnson RL, Liang D, Erni R, Van Tendeloo G, Dubois P, Hecq M, Bittencourt C;, Journal of physics: D: applied physics 41, 045202 (2008). http://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/41/4/045202
Abstract: The changes induced by exposing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to atomic nitrogen were analysed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the atomic nitrogen generated by a microwave plasma effectively grafts chemical groups onto the CNT surface altering the density of valence electronic states. HRTEM showed that the exposure to atomic nitrogen does not significantly damage the CNT surface.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Impact Factor: 2.588
Times cited: 16
DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/41/4/045202
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