I have used hydrophobic MMT, Cloisite 15A and General MMT in PVDF membrane with 18% of concentration. It was found that the hydrophobicity of membrane changed the same degree. Regarding to the fact that the hydrophobicity of MMT is more than those others, I was surprised. What are the factors that possibly affect the changes of hydrophilicity in this case?
Any amount of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nature of nanoparticle can effect the structure the structure of polymer but the effect is visible for a good amount of both the properties.
That's true. but the question is that why the hydrophobicity of membrane was changed the same degree!?bearing in mind that the hydrophobicity of nanoparticles are not the same.
Hadi,
you can have an idea you you can scan your nano particle by XPS to have surface study.
It will be the most suitable technique that you require.
There are many factors here.. 18 wt% of nano-clay is bit too high.. how was the dispersion & distribution of nano-clay... you checked XRD & SEM?
Secondly, how did you prepare your sample.. is it extrusion, injection molding or solvent mixing.. since in molding & extrusion, the surface is always "polymer rich".. and hydrophobicity is a surface phenomenon.. check surface roughness by either AFM or Surface analyzer
Its is a very good option to go for SAXS scan of the system to study the surface roughness as its is an intrinsic macromolecular parameter evaluated from the SAXS data.
For more details one may refer my publications in my research gate account.
Dependently on nature some depends in the form of nanoparticles, e.g.:
Article Polymerization Model for Hydrogen Peroxide Initiated Synthes...
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Physical Sciences
- Materials Science
- Materials
- Composites
- Nanocomposites