Poly (butylene terephthalate)/silica nanocomposites prepared from cyclic butylene terephthalate

Poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/silica nanocomposites were compounded from cyclic butylene terephthalate (CBT) resin with very low melt viscosity via high-speed stirring and subsequent in situ polymerization. The effect of silica nanoparticles on the properties of CBT and its polymer composites has been studied. It was shown that the well-dispersed silica nanoparticles, even in small content (1–2 wt.%), result in the dramatic extension of the polymerization process of CBT resin. The flexural properties of polymerized PBT nanocomposites, including modulus, yield strength and failure strain, was improved significantly with the incorporation of silica nanoparticles.