The production, characterization and application of polymer based composites reinforced by nanoparticles

The objective of this study is to focus on production, characterization and application areas of magnetic polymer nanocomposites. With this approach barium hexaferrite powders having nano sized particles were firstly produced by sol-gel method. Mn, Cu, Co, Sr and Ni were doped to the raw materials to investigate the effects on the magnetic, physical and chemical properties of the dopants. After preparing barium hexaferrite powders, polymer nanocomposites were prepared with the brabender machine. Then they were cured in hot pres at 160 centigrate degree for 10 minutes in order to obtain highly powder dispersed nanocomposites.Thermal behavior of barium hexaferrite powders was evaluated using Differential Thermal Analysis- Thermal Gravimetry Analysis (DTA-TGA). The surface morphology and phase identification of barium hexaferrite powders and polymer nanocomposites was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), respectively. Mechanical properties such as elasticity modules and hardness of the polymer nanocomposites were also investigated through Dinamic Ultra Hardness (DUH). Hysteresis loops of barium hexaferrite powders and polymer nanocomposites, which explain magnetic properties, were obtained from Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM).As a results, it was found that hexagonal shaped powders were mostly obtained by doping Sr. In addition to improved structural morphology, it was determined that the coercivity of magnetic materials was decreased by adding doping elements. Coercivity values of undoped and doped barium hexaferrite powders were 1381.8 oersted and 500 oersted, respectively.