Polybenzoxazine nanocomposites filled with three different sizes of silica nanoparticles are investigated for their mechanical and thermal properties. In this research, silica nanoparticles with primary particle sizes of 7, 14 and 40 nm were incorporated in polybenzoxazine matrix at a fixed content of 3% by weight. From the experimental results, the storage modulus of the polybenzoxazine nanocomposite was found to systematically increase with decreasing the particle sizes of nanosilica suggesting better reinforcement of the smaller particles. Glass transition temperature was found to slightly increase with the addition of the silica nanoparticles. The uniformity of the composite samples were also evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis to show good dispersion of the silica nanoparticles in the composite samples as a result of high processability of the benzoxazine resin used i.e. low A-stage viscosity with good wetting behaviors. Degradation temperature at 5% weight loss (Td,5) of polybenzoxazine nanocomposites filled with different particle sizes of silica nanoparticles was found to increase from the value of 325 °C of the neat polybenzoxazine to the maximum value of about 340 °C with an addition of the nanosilica of the smallest particle size used. Finally, the smaller nanosilica particle size was also found to show more pronounced effect on Td,5enhancement of the composite samples as a result of greater barrier effect from larger surface area of the smaller particles.
887. Improved Plasmid DNA Delivery by Lipid-Substitution on 2 kDa Polyethylenimine (PEI)