Effect of Different Phosphate Glass Compositions on the Process-Induced Macromolecular Dynamics of Polyamide 66

The present study provides a fundamental understanding of the mechanism of action of special new phosphate glass (P-glass) systems, having different glass transition temperatures (T(g)), in polyamide 66 (PA66). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed that the T(g) of PA66/low T(g) P-glass (ILT-1) was significantly shifted to a lower T(g) (65 °C), and another transition appeared at high temperature (166 °C). This was supported by a drop in the melting point and the crystallinity of the PA66/ILT-1 hybrid material as detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The dielectric spectroscopic investigation on the networks’ molecular level structural variations (T(g) and sub-T(g) relaxations) agreed very well with the DMA and DSC findings. Contrary to intermediate T(g)(IIT-3) and high T(g) P-glass (IHT-1) based materials, the PA66/ILT-1 hybrid material showed an evidence of splitting the PA66 T(g) relaxations into two peaks, thus confirming a strong interaction between PA66 and ILT-1 (low T(g) P-glass). Nevertheless, the three different P-glass compositions did not show any effect on the PA66 sub-T(g) relaxations (related to the –NH(2) and –OH chain end groups’ motion).