Radiation-induced grafting of inorganic particles onto polymer backbone: A new method to design polymer-based nanocomposite

Polypropylene/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PP/POSS) nanocomposites were prepared by in situ radiation-induced grafting of POSS onto PP. Radiation-induced grafting of POSS was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The mechanical property of PP/POSS nanocomposites increased with the increase in POSS content and with the increase in absorption dose up to 5 kGy, above which it started to decrease. The reduction of mechanical property at high doses can be attributed to the chain scission of PP by radiation. The degree of reduction in decomposition temperature of irradiated PP/POSS nanocomposites was found to be much less than that of neat PP due to the covalent grafting of POSS onto PP by radiation.