Tracking copper nanofiller evolution in polysiloxane during processing into SiOC ceramic.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Ceramic Engineering

Background:

• Polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) are crucial for high-temperature applications, energy storage, and coatings.
• Understanding the polymer-to-ceramic transition and the role of nanofillers is key to optimizing PDC properties.
• Characterizing mixed crystalline-amorphous composites with nanofillers presents significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the local structural evolution in polysiloxane-based PDCs with copper nanofillers.
• To analyze the influence of processing temperatures on the polymer matrix and nanofiller interactions.
• To introduce novel characterization methods for complex PDC composites.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of polysiloxane composites with copper nanofillers.
• Processing at three distinct temperatures to capture key transformation stages.
• Electron microscopy for nanofiller evolution observation.
• Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and differential pair distribution function (d-PDF) analysis for local structure probing.

Main Results:

• Observed the structural evolution of copper nanofillers during PDC processing.
• Monitored changes in the polysiloxane matrix's local structure using d-PDF analysis.
• Identified interactions between the copper nanofiller and the ceramic matrix.
• Demonstrated the utility of d-PDF for analyzing complex PDC composites.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully probed local structural changes in PDCs with nanofillers.
• d-PDF analysis provides novel insights into nanofiller-matrix interactions during processing.
• This approach enhances understanding of structure-property relationships in tailored PDCs.
• The findings pave the way for advanced characterization of nanocomposite materials.