• Smilgies, Detlef M.
• Cornaby, Sterling
• Kamperman, Marleen
• Li, Ruipeng

Abstract

<p>Nanocomposites have great potential for the rational synthesis of tailored materials. However, the templating process that transfers the self-organized nanostructure of a block copolymer or other mesophase onto the functional material is by no means trivial, and often involves multiple steps, each of which presents its own chemical and physical challenges. As a result the nanocomposite may not be homogeneous, but can be phase-separated into various components which may feature their own specific microstructure. Here it is shown how scanning microbeam small-angle X-ray scattering (μSAXS) can be used to characterize a thermoset resol/poly(isoprene-block-ethylene oxide) nanocomposite on multiple length scales with respect to homogeneity and microphase separation.</p>

Topics

• nanocomposite
• impedance spectroscopy
• microstructure
• phase
• thermoset
• copolymer
• block copolymer
• X-ray scattering