Thermosetting polymers in cold sintering: The fabrication of ZnO‐polydimethylsiloxane composites
Arnaud Ndayishimiye, Zane A. Grady, Kosuke Tsuji, Ke Wang, Sun Hwi Bang, Clive A. Randall
Abstract
Abstract This study reports the fabrication of the first ceramics‐thermosetting polymer composites by the cold sintering process, for high ceramic volume fractions (v/v >95%). The (1 − x ) ZnO − x polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites, with 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.05, were cold sintered at 250°C, 320 MPa for 60 minutes. In situ densification studies conducted with the help of a semi‐automated press revealed that the mechanisms driving the densification of the material changes with the polymer content. Relative densities of the (1 − x ) ZnO − x PDMS composites (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) were above 90%. Impedance spectroscopy of the composites yields insight into the ceramic‐polymer interfaces within the sintered ZnO bulk and suggests long‐range conduction governed by ZnO‐PDMS interface properties for x = 0.03 and x = 0.05. The study also emphasizes on the complexities and opportunities of such ceramic‐dominated ceramic‐polymer composites.