Hybrid Plastics®: POSS® Dispersion Aids

POSS^® Universal Dispersants

Hybrid Plastics^® offers the next generation of universal dispersion aids based on POSS^® Technology. POSS^® dispersants offer several advantages over traditional dispersants and coupling agents, including:

Thermal stability up to 400°C
Nanoscopic monolayer coverage
Dominates surface area - 3600 m²/g
No VOC’s generated
Stronger bonding—sticks at high temperatures
Works in thermoplastics and thermoset materials

Anatomy of POSS^® Dispersants

The inner cage core of POSS^® dispersants is externally decorated with organic groups matched with the system to maximize compatibility. Binding groups can be selected to work with just about any filler. Because there are multiple binding groups per molecule, a strong, thermally stable bond is formed.

Lower Viscosity / Higher filler Loading

POSS^® dispersants can be used in highly filled resins to decrease viscosity. POSS^® strongly bonds to the surface of fillers and breaks up particle‐particle interactions. This effect not only increases productivity, but also improves mechanical properties and surface finish. In addition, due to the viscosity reduction, more filler can be added to the resin while maintaining the desired viscosity. In one example, three times as much titanium dioxide was able to be used.

Superior Thermal Stability

One of the biggest advantages of POSS^® dispersants is their exceptional thermal stability. The thermogravimetric analysis chart compares two different POSS^® dispersants with a popular commercial dispersant, stearic acid. Stearic acid degrades / evaporates at about 200°C, while POSS^® dispersants can be stable up to 400°C. This superior stability lends to POSS’s use in high temperature polymers such as poly(ether ether ketone), polyimide and polysulfones.

Availability & Ease of Use

POSS^® dispersants work with nearly every filler, and have been used successfully to treat TiO₂, CaCO₃, BN, MnO₂, mica, silica, glass fiber, and carbon nanotubes. POSS^® dispersants are easy to use, safe to handle and do not contain or generate any volatile organic compounds. In most cases they can simply be added to the formulation with no additional steps taken. They are available in pure form at R&D and bulk quantities. They are also available in custom form, such as thermoplastic masterbatch or predispersed in a thermoset resin, upon request.

Learn more about POSS^® Universal Dispersants. . .