Dynamic mechanical characters of PEG/zircon composites around PEG glassy region

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)/zircon (ZrSiO₄) composites with various zircon sizes have been fabricated using a liquid method to study the effect of crystallite size on the thermo-mechanical properties of the composites around the glass temperature of PEG. The zircon powders were prepared by different heat treatment, i.e., 500, 1000, and 1200 °C, to acquire different crystallite size. The characterization included XRD, FTIR, and DMA. Results showed that the powders exhibited pure zircon with crystallite size of 226, 321, and 391 nm. Meanwhile, analyses of the FTIR and XRD data confirmed the successful synthesis of the composites. DMA analysis revealed the storage moduli, loss moduli, and tan delta characters of the PEG/zircon composites. The maximum storage moduli and glass transition temperature (T_g) were achieved by the 5 wt% zircon calcined at 500 °C (LPZ500), while the maximum loss moduli were achieved by the 5 wt% zircon calcined at 1200 °C (LPZ1200).