Thermomechanical and dielectric properties of E-BA-MAH-compatibilized EVA/SBA-15 nanocomposites
摘要
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the role of ethylene-co-butyl acrylate-co-maleic anhydride (E-BA-MAH) terpolymer on the physicochemical properties of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/SBA-15 nanocomposites. Several characterizations were performed including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and dielectric study. Structural analysis via FTIR and SEM suggests that the E-BA-MAH terpolymer acts as an interfacial modifier. The crystallinity of the nanocomposites decreased and the elastic modulus increased with the incorporation of the compatibilizer. The optimized formulation (1.5 wt% SBA-15/2 wt% E-BA-MAH) achieved a 15% crystallinity reduction, a 17% tensile strength increase, a 149% elastic modulus increase, a 24 °C thermal stability improvement, and a 5.6% dielectric constant reduction with a 15.7% dielectric loss reduction at 106 Hz, while retaining ductility. These findings suggest that the performance of EVA nanocomposites depends not just on the amount of filler but also on the quality of the interfacial modifier used to bond the phases. This work offers potential relevance for insulating material development, pending validation through breakdown strength and long-term aging assessments.