| Summary: | Merve Seyhan,1 William Kucharczyk,2 U Ecem Yarar,1 Katherine Rickard,2 Deniz Rende,2,3 Nihat Baysal,4 Seyda Bucak,1 Rahmi Ozisik2,3 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 3Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated Systems, 4Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, USA Abstract: The structure and properties of nanocomposites of poly(ethylene oxide), with Ag and Au nanoparticles, surface modified with a 1:1 (by volume) oleylamine/oleic acid mixture, were investigated via transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and static mechanical testing. Results indicated that there was more oleylamine on Ag nanoparticles but more oleic acid on Au nanoparticles. This difference in surfactant populations on each nanoparticle led to different interfacial interactions with poly(ethylene oxide) and drastically influenced the glass transition temperature of these two nanocomposite systems. Almost all other properties were found to correlate strongly with dispersion and distribution state of Au and Ag nanoparticles, such that the property in question changed direction at the onset of agglomeration. Keywords: polymer nanocomposites, surfactants, interfacial interactions
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