Dielectric investigation of organic–inorganic hybrid based on titanium oxocluster-crosslinked elastomer

In this paper, we have prepared new type of organic–inorganic hybrid materials based on covalent bond between the two constituents: elastomer and titanium oxocluster. Commercial hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (HNBR)-Therban® 3407 was selected as the matrix for mixing the titanium oxocluster. Three different samples containing the elastomer and peroxide, elastomer, peroxide and titanate, and elastomer and titanate, respectively were prepared. The dielectric permittivity have been scanned over a wide range of frequencies and temperatures in order to determine the how the titanate and the peroxide influences the molecular mobility. Complementary DSC and mechanical analysis were performed. We found that the presence of titanates-compounds strongly influences the mobility of the ions and it’s reflected in the low activation energy for the ionic conductivity. In spite that the glass transition temperature is held constant, the temperature dependence of the α process, as well as the free volume at the glass transition, the fragility parameter and the ΔCp during the glass transition are strongly influenced by the composition.