SANS study to probe nanoparticle dispersion in nanocomposite membranes of aromatic polyamide and functionalized silica nanoparticles.

Silica nanoparticles produced from organically functionalized silicon alkoxide precursors were incorporated into polyamide film to produce a silica-polyamide nanocomposite membrane with enhanced properties. The dispersion of the silica nanoparticles in the nanocomposite membrane was characterized by performing small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements on dilute reactant systems and dilute solution suspensions of the final product. Clear scattering of monodisperse spherical particles of 10-18 A R(g) were observed from dilute solutions of the initial reactant system.