Title: Influence of the addition of montmorillonite nanofiller on the preparation and physicochemical properties of polysiloxane networks with controlled structure
Duration: 2019-2020
Principal Investigator: Monika Wójcik-Bania
Funding agency: National Science Centre (Poland)
Project ID: Miniatura 3

The aim of the project is the synthesis and characterization of polysiloxane-mineral nanocomposites obtained from a polysiloxane network of controlled structure and modified montmorillonites. The project is interdisciplinary, combines knowledge of applied mineralogy and organosilicon compounds. In the first stage of the project, the mineral from the group of smectites, i.e. montmorillonite, will be modified with six quaternary ammonium salts. Next, syntheses of polysiloxane-mineral nanocomposites will be carried out. The polymer matrices will be polysiloxane networks obtained from a linear polysiloxane and three cross-linking agents with different functionalities and molecular structure. The process of obtaining nanocomposites will be controlled by FTIR spectroscopy. The physicochemical properties of the obtained nanocomposites will be characterized by means of several analytical methods.