Proceedings of the XMO Industrial Seminar 2026: Excellence in Manufacturing and Operations
Keywords
Polyelectrolytes complexes, Polymer ceramic composites, Thermogravimetric analysis
Tracks
CONVERGENT MANUFACTURING
DOI
10.5703/1288284318668
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are a versatile class of macromolecular assemblies that are formed by mixing two oppositely charged polyelectrolyte solutions. Because of their tunable properties, PECs have attracted significant interest for applications in tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems and underwater adhesives. In this study, PECs were formed by combining a strong polycation (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDADMAC) with a strong polyanion (poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), PSS) and were further reinforced with alumina to produce composite materials. The effects of salt concentration and ceramic filler incorporation were investigated as the primary experimental variables. Alumina was chosen as the reinforcing phase because of its established use in polymer composites for enhancing the material performance. Salt content played a critical role in controlling the structure and mechanical response of the PEC composite by screening polyelectrolyte ions. Preliminary thermal characterization was performed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to assess the thermal stability of the fabricated composites. Overall, the study establishes an initial foundation for the development of alumina-reinforced PEC composites and demonstrates the importance of composition in tailoring mechanical and thermal behavior.
Thermal analysis and fabrication of polyelectrolyte-ceramic composites
Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are a versatile class of macromolecular assemblies that are formed by mixing two oppositely charged polyelectrolyte solutions. Because of their tunable properties, PECs have attracted significant interest for applications in tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems and underwater adhesives. In this study, PECs were formed by combining a strong polycation (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDADMAC) with a strong polyanion (poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), PSS) and were further reinforced with alumina to produce composite materials. The effects of salt concentration and ceramic filler incorporation were investigated as the primary experimental variables. Alumina was chosen as the reinforcing phase because of its established use in polymer composites for enhancing the material performance. Salt content played a critical role in controlling the structure and mechanical response of the PEC composite by screening polyelectrolyte ions. Preliminary thermal characterization was performed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to assess the thermal stability of the fabricated composites. Overall, the study establishes an initial foundation for the development of alumina-reinforced PEC composites and demonstrates the importance of composition in tailoring mechanical and thermal behavior.