Rationalizing the Dependence of Poly (Vinylidene Difluoride) (PVDF) Rheological Performance on the Nano-Silica

Abstract

Research on the rheological performance and mechanism of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), mainly focuses on non-polar polymer matrices, but rarely on strongly polar ones. To fill this gap, this paper explores the influence of nanofillers on the rheological properties of poly (vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF). The effects of particle diameter and content on the microstructure, rheology, crystallization, and mechanical properties of PVDF/SiO2 were analyzed, by TEM, DLS, DMA, and DSC. The results show that nanoparticles can greatly reduce the entanglement degree and viscosity of PVDF (up to 76%), without affecting the hydrogen bonds of the matrix, which can be explained by selective adsorption theory. Moreover, uniformly dispersed nanoparticles can promote the crystallization and mechanical properties of PVDF. In summary, the viscosity regulation mechanism of nanoparticles for non-polar polymers, is also applicable to PVDF, with strong polarity, which is of great value for exploring the rheological behavior of PNCs and guiding the process of polymers.