Processing properties of thermoplastic polymers modified by polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS)

The effect of the addition of various types and amounts of POSS (Table 1) to three thermoplastic polymers (PE-LD, iPP and POM) on the crystallization and rheological properties of the obtained composites was investigated. A relatively minor heterogeneous nucleation effect of POSS compounds, resulting in an increased temperature of polymer matrix crystallization (Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5) has been observed. The changes in melt viscosity, due to the plasticizing effect of silsesquioxanes (Figs. 7—10), are strongly dependent on the conditions of rheological measurements (cone and plate or capillary system), particularly on the shear rate.