Develpment of Inorganic Phosphate Glass Matrix Nanocomposites Incorporating Nanoscale Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes with Improved Properties. NSF #1360006

Inorganic glasses generally have been used as reinforcing fillers to improve thermal, mechanical and chemically endurable properties of polymers. Many authors reported new composites composed of polymers having inorganic fillers. However In this project the phosphate glasses is used as composites matrix and POSS (polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes) is used as nanofiller to make new nanocomposite glasses materials. Phosphate glass has low Tg, good optical properties and low melting temperature compared to other kinds of glass, e.g. silicate, borate glasses.POSS was investigated and found to be a highly effective filler in lots of composites materials. This new optically transparent nanocomposite materials with improved thermal stability and mechanical properties would be applicable on the many applications such as biomedical device, optoelectronic components, impact resistant transparent panels and bioengineering.