Metallopolymers — composite materials containing metal particles in a polymer matrix are produced by several methods: thermal decomposition of metal-containing compounds in a polymer melt solution, condensation of metal vapours on a polymer substrate, encapsulation of nanoparticles with polytetrafluoroethylene, and electrochemical deposition of metal nanoparticles in polymers [1, 2]. Commercial products, such as electrically conductive composite materials for heating panels, are already being derived from metalpolymer composites.
The introduction of metal particles with sizes larger than the distance between chains, cross-links and crystal blocks into the polymer matrix impairs the polymer structure and degrades the composite properties. As the size of metal and polymer particles decreases, the properties of the initial components and those of composite material change. Changing the section division share allows to modify the material properties. Metal nanoparticles of the filler lead to the re-arrangement of the supramolecular structure of the polymer matrix [2-20].
The study findings for mechanical and tribological properties of composite materials based on PTFE and simple (Al2O3, Sg2o3, ZrO2), complex (spinels CoAl2O4 and MgAl2O4, and cordierite 2MgO·2Al2O3·5SiO2) oxide nanopowders are shown in the table.
The structure of the composite material, to which aluminium oxide was added, is formed from the same-size supramolecular spherulites that are more perfect than in case when other oxides are added. The density of agglomerates from spinel nanoparticles is 3 times higher than that of agglomerates from cordierite nanoparticles on the friction surface. A higher density of agglomerate coating of the friction surface leads to greater resistance to contact deformations. PTFE-based composites modified with oxide nanopowders have greater wear resistance than traditional anti-friction materials containing coke and molybdenum disulfide as a filler, but they have almost the same strength and ductility.