Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.123, No.4, 2431-2438, 2012
Effect of ZnS Nanofiller and Temperature on Mechanical Properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate)
This article deals with the study of some mechanical properties of ZnS/poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites prepared by solution casting method. The obtained ZnS/PMMA nanocomposites have ZnS nanoparticles in (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8) wt % and characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements. Mechanical properties of ZnS/PMMA nanocomposites have been determined at different temperatures (30 degrees C, 50 degrees C, 70 degrees C, and 90 degrees C) through their stress-strain behavior using dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). The properties have been found to increase upto 6 wt % of ZnS nanoparticles and then decrease for 8 wt % of ZnS nanoparticles. A theoretical model has also been employed to predict the strain softening and strain hardening of the material. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 123: 2431-2438, 2012