Enhancement of electrostatic charge dissipation properties of polymers by a sustained-release effect of mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Small molecular surfactant (SMS), used as antistatic agent of polymers, is prone to the wash-out effects thus reducing its lifetime. To address this issue, the sustained-release antistatic agent is prepared by encapsulating SMS (HDC-102 or HDC-193) into mesoporous silica nanoparticles such as MCM-41 and is used to modify the antistatic properties of polystyrene (PS). The water-resistant test is used to evaluate the sustained-release effect, and the results showed that the HDC-102/MCM-41/PS composite retains favorable antistatic properties with the R s of 6.2 × 10 11 after five times washing, while the HDC-102/PS loses antistatic properties after twice washing. The contact angle measurement demonstrates that the sustained-release effect is affected by the characteristics of SMS. Moreover, the coefficient of thermal expansion of SMS/PS composites is decreased, and the thermal decomposition temperature is increased with incorporation of MCM-41. This approach may be used in polymer systems with the other small molecular additives to prolong their lifetime. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.