Effect of surface modification and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on thermal properties of PMMA/SWCNT nanocomposites

ABSTRACT In this study, the single-walled carbon nanotube (p-SWCNTs) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer nanocomposites were prepared by solution casting method. The effects of functionalization and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the thermal properties of PMMA/p-SWCNT nanocomposites were investigated. Samples were characterised using BET, FTIR-ATR, SEM, DTA/TG, DSC, TEM and AFM. Morphological analyses showed that changes in the structure of SWCNTs with modification occurred and CNTs were tubular structure, homogeneously dispersed and nano-sized. Functionalised SWCNTs increased the first mass loss (Tmax1), the second mass loss (Tmax2) and glass transition temperatures (Tg) of PMMA. SDS assisted both better dispersion of CNTs and interaction between PMMA and CNTs. While PMMA/p-SWCNT-OH (0.1 wt.%) had the highest thermal stability in SDS-free medium, PMMA/SDS/p-SWCNT-O-APTS (0.1 wt.%) had the highest thermal stability in SDS medium. The maximum increases at Tmax1 and Tmax2 temperatures of nanocomposites were calculated as 49 and 13°C for PMMA/SDS/p-SWCNT-O-APTS (0.1 wt.%), respectively.