The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) exhibit enhanced mechanical, thermal and electrical properties for broad applications. PNCs performance strongly depends on polymer-nanoparticle interfacial characteristics. Increasing annealing temperature and time enhances polymer adsorption, influencing desorption and swelling kinetics governed by chain conformations (train, loop, tail) in the interfacial layer.
Here, we introduced preferentially adsorbing polymer chains into pre-formed PNCs to induce chain exchange dynamics. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy revealed that differences in initial interfacial adsorption induce distinct dynamics. Rheological tests and Small-angle X-ray scattering confirmed physical evolution during chain exchange. Activation energy for chain exchange was identified to elucidate mechanisms driving these dynamics. This study highlights the key role of interfacial properties in governing polymer chain exchange, enabling more systematic interfacial engineering in PNC systems.