Nanotechnologies and nanocomposites are a part of nanoscience, which has become one of the key areas of interest in scientific and technical-industrial activities. Polymer nanocomposites are materials composed of a polymer matrix and a filler with at least one dimension at the nanometer scale between 1 nm and 100 nm (nanofiller). Depending on the properties of polymers and nanofillers, various combinations of nanocomposites can be obtained. The aim of this study was to compare thermal and mechanical properties of four samples with different mass ratios of the PVDF-HFP/PVP/SiO2 nanocomposite and select the optimal ratio based on the studied properties. Thermal analysis was performed using differential scanning calorimetry, which also enabled the calculation and comparison of the degree of crystallinity. Young's modulus of the samples was measured using uniaxial tensile tests. Hardness and elastic modulus were determined by nanoindentation using a nanoindenter that allows dynamic measurements using continuous stiffness method. Finally, the surfaces of all samples were compared using optical microscope. We found that the addition of silicon dioxide increases crystallinity, elastic modulus and hardness of the nanocomposite compared to PVDF-HFP/PVP polymer base film. Based on the results, we selected the sample PVDF-HFP/PVP/SiO2 = 70 : 20 : 10 as the optimal mass ratio of individual phases.
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