Influence of Polymethylsilsesquioxane Content to the Thermal Stability of Meta-Aramid Fiber Insulation Paper

Materials (Basel). 2018 Nov 19;11(11):2317. doi: 10.3390/ma11112317.

Abstract

Polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) nanoparticles with mass percentages of 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.2, 9.4 wt %, respectively, were constructed by molecular dynamics methods in this paper. Composite molecular models were established using PMSQ and MPIA (poly-metaphenylene isophthalamide) fiber. The influence of different PMSQ contents on the thermal stability of meta-aramid insulation paper was analyzed from the parameters of mechanical property, interaction energy, and mean square displacement. The results showed that the trend of mechanical properties decreased with the increase of PMSQ content. When the PMSQ content was 2.5 wt %, the mechanical properties of the composited model were the best, which was about 24% higher than that of the unmodified model. From an intermolecular bonding and nonbonding point of view, the energy parameters of composite model with the 2.5 wt % content was better than those of the composite model with other contents. Therefore, it is considered that MPIA can interact better with the 2.5 wt % content PMSQ composite model. When the PMSQ content is 2.5 wt %, the overall chain movement in the composite model is slower than that of the unmodified model, which can effectively inhibit the diffusion movement of the MPIA chain. In general, the thermal stability of composite molecular models MPIA and PMSQ (2.5 wt %) was better improved.

Keywords: mechanical properties; meta-aramid fiber insulation paper; polymethylsilsesquioxane; thermal stability.