ABSTRACT
Polymers are considered excellent host matrices for composite materials. They have been extensively investigated for their potential broad applications because of their easy processability, low-cost manufacturing, good adhesion to substrates [1], and unique physicochemical properties. Polymer nanocomposites are polymer composites using nanostructured materials as the Œllers. Depending on the type of Œller materials, different properties
CONTENTS
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 135 4.2 Magnetic Polymer Nanocomposite Fabrication and Processing ........ 138
4.2.1 Solution-Based Oxidation Method .............................................. 138 4.2.2 Electropolymerization Method .................................................... 139 4.2.3 Two-Step Deposition Method ...................................................... 140 4.2.4 UV-Irradiation Technique ............................................................. 141 4.2.5 Electrospinning Method ............................................................... 141
4.3 Physicochemical Property Analysis ........................................................ 142 4.3.1 FT-IR for Functional Groups ........................................................ 142 4.3.2 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for Surface
Morphology .................................................................................... 143 4.3.3 Thermal Property Analysis by TGA/DSC ................................. 145 4.3.4 Magnetic Property Analysis ........................................................ 147 4.3.5 Mechanical Property Analysis by Rheology ............................. 149
4.4 Applications of Magnetic Polymer Nanocomposites ........................... 152 4.5 Summary ..................................................................................................... 155 References ............................................................................................................. 155
can be achieved for the polymer nanocomposites. Unique physicochemical phenomena such as giant magnetoresistance (GMR) or tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) can be created, in which the nonmagnetic conductive or insulating polymer serves as a spacer, while magnetic inorganic materials are used as the Œllers [2,3]. This phenomenon is completely beyond the simple addition of the advantageous physicochemical properties of a single polymer matrix and the magnetic inorganic Œllers. A typical application of magnetic polymer nanocomposites is the GMR/TMR sensor. Various combinations of polymers and magnetic nanomaterials have been explored for magnetic polymer nanocomposite fabrication, including magnetic nanoparticles and conductive polymers such as iron or polypyrrole (Ppy), magnetic nanoparticles and insulating polymers such as iron or vinyl ester and iron or Polyurethane (PU), to name a few.
