Depression of melting point of eutectic metal alloy by the interaction with polyacrylates in metal-polymer composites

Abstract

The composites of polyacrylates and eutectic metal alloy composed by Bi, In, and Sn were prepared by mixing the metal and polymer above the melting point of the metal alloy (80 °C) with a homogenizer. Two melting peaks, which were assigned as the melting peak of the original metal alloy and that of the interfacial phase of the metal alloy interacting with polyacrylates (70 °C) by differential scanning calorimetry. Metal particles with the diameter of about 100 nm which were stabilized by the interfacial interaction with polyacrylates were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The melting peak at 70 °C was assigned as the melting peak of these small particles. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.