Thermal and morphological studies on γ-Fe2O3 polystyrene composites and the affect of additives

✍ Scribed by B. Govindaraj; N. V. Sastry; A. Venkataraman

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 317 KB
• Volume: 93
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.20425

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

γ‐Fe~2~O~3~polystyrene (PS) composite films were prepared by a gel‐casting technique to obtain monodisperse composite films. To understand the effect of additives on the prepared composite films, additives such as rice husk ash and thiourea were made to disperse into the PS matrix. The as‐prepared γ‐Fe~2~O~3~ PS composite films, along with their additives, were subjected to characterization and study by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal, IR, and dielectric measurement techniques. These studies showed monodisperse and chemically homogenous composite films with an increase in thermal behavior. An interesting self‐assembly of rod‐like nanoparticles of γ‐Fe~2~O~3~ particles into the polymer matrix, which formed spherical packets, was observed for the γ‐Fe~2~O~3~PS composite film. The electrical behavior of these films was interesting, as some showed conduction whereas others showed an increase in dielectric behavior. This nature was explained by the dielectric measurements. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 778–788, 2004