Poly(l‐lactic acid) with the organic nucleating agent N,N,N′‐tris(1H‐benzotriazole) trimesinic acid acethydrazide: Crystallization and melting behavior

N,N,N′‐Tris(1H‐benzotriazole) trimesinic acid acethydrazide (BD) was synthesized from 1H‐benzotriazole acetohydrazide and trischloride to serve as an organic nucleating agent for the crystallization of poly(l ‐lactic acid) (PLLA). First, the thermogravimetric analysis of BD exhibited a high thermal decomposition temperature; this indicated that BD maybe used as a heterogeneous nucleating agent of PLLA. Then, the effect of BD on the crystallization and melting behavior of PLLA was investigated through differential scanning calorimetry, depolarized light intensity measurements, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The appearance of a nonisothermal crystallization peak and increases in the glass‐transition temperature and the intensity of the diffraction peak suggested that the presence of BD accelerated the overall PLLA crystallization. Upon cooling at a rate of 1°C/min, the addition of just 0.5 wt % BD to PLLA increased the onset crystallization temperature from 101.4 to 111.3°C, and the nonisothermal crystallization enthalpy increased from 0.1 to 38.6 J/g. The isothermal crystallization behavior showed that the crystallization half‐time of PLLA with 0.5 wt % BD (PLLA/0.5% BD) decreased from 49.9 to 1.1 min at 105°C. However, the equilibrium melting point of PLLA/0.5% BD was lower than that of the pristine PLLA; this resulted from the increasing nucleating density of PLLA. The melting behavior of PLLA/0.5% BD further confirmed that BD improved the crystallization of PLLA, and the double‐melting peaks of PLLA/0.5% BD were assigned to melting–recrystallization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42402.     

Melt spinning of poly(vinylidene fluoride) fibers and the influence of spinning parameters on β‐phase crystallinity

The effects of melt‐spinning and cold‐drawing parameters on the formation of β‐phase crystallinity in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibers and ways of increasing such crystallinity were studied. Fibers were melt‐spun with four different melt draw ratios (MDRs) and were subsequently cold‐drawn at different draw ratios (λ). The maximum λ value in cold drawing was dependent on the MDR used in melt spinning. The crystalline structure of the fibers was studied mainly with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the degree of crystallinity in the fibers was determined by the MDR and that before cold drawing the crystalline structure of the fibers was predominantly in the α form. By cold drawing, α‐phase crystallites could be transformed into the β phase. It was established that, under certain conditions of melt spinning and cold drawing, PVDF fibers of up to 80% crystallinity, mainly in the β form, could be prepared. It was further proposed that fibers spun at a sufficiently high MDR consist to a large extent of extended‐chain crystals, and this greatly affects the melting point of PVDF. Thus, DSC melting‐point data were shown to be insufficient for determining the crystalline phase of PVDF. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Crystallization behavior of biodegradable poly(L‐lactic acid) filled with a powerful nucleating agent: N,N′‐bis(benzoyl) suberic acid dihydrazide

N,N′‐Bis(benzoyl) suberic acid dihydrazide (NA) as nucleating agent for poly(L ‐lactic acid) (PLLA) was synthesized from benzoyl hydrazine and suberoyl chloride, which was deprived from suberic acid via acylation. PLLA/NA samples were prepared by melt blending and a hot‐press forming process. The nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization, spherulite morphology, and melting behavior of PLLA/NA with different contents of NA were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry, depolarized‐light intensity measurement, scanning electron microscopy, polarized optical microscopy, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. With the incorporation of NA, the crystallization peak became sharper and shifted to a higher temperature as the degree of supercooling decreased at a cooling rate of 1°C/min from the melt. Nonisothermal crystallization indicated that the presence of NA accelerated the overall PLLA crystallization. In isothermal crystallization from the melt, the presence of NA affected the isothermal crystalline behaviors of PLLA remarkably. The addition of NA led to a shorter crystallization time and a faster overall crystallization rate; this meant that there was a heterogeneous nucleation effect of NA on the crystallization of PLLA. With the addition of 0.8% NA, the crystallization half‐time of PLLA/NA decreased from 26.5 to 1.4 min at 115°C. The Avrami theory was used to describe the kinetics of isothermal crystallization of the PLLA/NA samples. Also, with the presence of NA, the spherulite number of PLLA increased, and the spherulite size decreased significantly. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Crystallization and melting behavior of partially miscible six‐armed poly(l‐lactic acid)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) blends

The crystallization kinetics and spherulitic morphology of six‐armed poly(L‐lactic acid) (6a‐PLLA)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co?3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) crystalline/crystalline partially miscible blends were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy in this study. Avrami analysis was used to describe the isothermal crystallization process of the neat polymers and their blends. The results suggest that blending had a complex influence on the crystallization rate of the two components during the isothermal crystallization process. Also, the crystallization mechanism of these blends was different from that of the neat polymers. The melting behavior of these blends was also studied after crystallization at various crystallization temperatures. The crystallization of PHBV at 125°C was difficult, so no melting peaks were found. However, it was interesting to find a weak melting peak, which arose from the PHBV component for the 20/80 6a‐PLLA/PHBV blend after crystallization at 125°C, and it is discussed in detail. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42548.     

Degradation behaviors of linear low‐density polyethylene and poly(L‐lactic acid) blends

In this study, the degradability of linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) and poly(L ‐lactic acid) (PLLA) blend films under controlled composting conditions was investigated according to modified ASTM D 5338 (2003). Differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to determine the thermal and morphological properties of the plastic films. LLDPE 80 (80 wt % LLDPE and 20 wt % PLLA) degraded faster than grafted low‐density polyethylene–maleic anhydride (M‐g‐L) 80/4 (80 wt % LLDPE, 20 wt % PLLA, and 4 phr compatibilizer) and pure LLDPE (LLDPE 100). The mechanical properties and weight changes were determined after composting. The tensile strength of LLDPE 100, LLDPE 80, and M‐g‐L 80/4 decreased by 20, 54, and 35%, respectively. The films, as a result of degradation, exhibited a decrease in their mass. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Investigation of thermally conducting phase‐change materials based on polyethylene/wax blends filled with copper particles

This article reports on the morphology, melting and crystallization behavior, thermal stability, tensile properties, and thermal conductivity of phase‐change materials (PCM) for thermal energy storage. These materials were based on a soft Fischer‐Tropsch paraffin wax (PCM) blended with low‐density polyethylene, linear low‐density polyethylene, and high‐density polyethylene. These immiscible blends were melt‐mixed with copper (Cu) microparticles (up to 15 vol %) to improve the thermal conductivity in the matrix material. The presence of the Cu microparticles in the PCMs did not significantly change the crystallization behavior, thermal stability, or tensile properties of the blend composites in comparison with the corresponding polyethylene/wax blends and polyethylene/Cu composites. The observed differences were related to the fact that the wax seemed to have a higher affinity for the Cu particles than any of the polyethylenes, and so it crystallized as a layer around the Cu particles. The thermal conductivity of the samples increased almost linearly with increasing Cu content, but the samples had slightly lower values than the corresponding polyethylene/Cu composites, probably because of the lower thermal conductivity of the wax. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Compatibility study of chlorinated polyethylene/ethylene methacrylate copolymer blends using thermal,mechanical, and chemical analysis

Blends of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) elastomer and ethylene methacrylate copolymer (EMA) in various compositions were studied for their compatibility using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. Irrespective of measurement techniques used, all blends showed a single glass transition temperature (T_g) lying in between the T_g of control polymers in both DSC and DMA. Glass transition temperatures of blends obtained from DSC were in consistency with Couchman–Karasz equation. Also, the T_g obtained from both DSC and DMA are above the “rule of mixing” line of the two control polymers. These results from thermal analysis clearly indicate some compatibility between the two polymers. Furthermore, compatibility of CPE/EMA blends were also been investigated by FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic analysis. A shifting of characteristic C? Cl stretching peak of CPE and C?O stretching peak of EMA toward lower wave number indicate the presence of specific interaction between the two polymers. Mechanical properties like tensile strength, modulus at 100% elongation, elongation at break, and hardness were observed above the line of additivity drawn between the two control polymers, which corroborate compatibility between CPE and EMA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40316.     

Interpolymer interactions and miscibility in poly(n‐butyl methacrylate‐co‐methacrylic acid)/poly(styrene‐co‐N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide) blends

The miscibility of poly(n‐butyl methacrylate‐co‐methacrylic acid) containing 18 mol % methacrylic acid (BMAM‐18) and poly(styrene‐co‐N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide) containing 17 mol % N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide (SAD‐17) was investigated with viscometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The DSC analysis showed a single glass‐transition temperature for all the blends, indicating that these copolymers were miscible over the entire composition range. The glass‐transition temperatures of these blends were higher than those calculated with the additivity rule. This was characteristic of the presence of specific interactions. The interactions between BMAM‐18 and the tertiary amide of SAD‐17 were studied with FTIR spectroscopy, which revealed that hydrogen‐bonding interactions occurred between the hydroxyl groups of BMAM‐18 and the carbonyl amide of SAD‐17. A new band characterizing these interactions appeared around 1613 cm^?1. The quantitative results showed that the fraction of the associated amide increased with an increase in the amount of the acidic BMAM‐18 copolymer. Although BMAM‐18 and SAD‐17 led to homogeneous solutions in butan‐2‐one, as the concentration of N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide increased to 32 mol % [as within the poly(styrene‐co‐N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide) containing 32 mol % N,N‐dimethyl acrylamide], complexation occurred when this latter compound was mixed with BMAM‐18 in butan‐2‐one. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 2717–2724, 2006     

Effect of poly(propylene carbonate) on the crystallization and melting behavior of poly(β‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐β‐hydroxyvalerate)

The crystallization and melting behavior of poly(β‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐β‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and a 30/70 (w/w) PHBV/poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) blend was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The transesterification reaction between PHBV and PPC was detected in the melt‐blending process. The interaction between the two macromolecules was confirmed by means of FTIR analysis. During the crystallization process from the melt, the crystallization temperature of the PHBV/PPC blend decreased about 8°C, the melting temperature was depressed by 4°C, and the degree of crystallinity of PHBV in the blend decreased about 9.4%; this was calculated through a comparison of the DSC heating traces for the blend and pure PHBV. These results indicated that imperfect crystals of PHBV formed, crystallization was inhibited, and the crystallization ability of PHBV was weakened in the blend. The equilibrium melting temperatures of PHBV and the 30/70 PHBV/PPC blend isothermally crystallized were 187.1 and 179°C, respectively. The isothermal crystallization kinetics were also studied. The fold surface free energy of the developing crystals of PHBV isothermally crystallized from the melt decreased; however, a depression in the relative degree of crystallization, a reduction of the linear growth rate of the spherulites, and decreases in the equilibrium melting temperature and crystallization capability of PHBV were detected with the addition of PPC. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2514–2521, 2004     

Investigation of the thermal properties of novel adamantane‐modified polybenzoxazine

Two novel structures of adamantane‐modified benzoxazines were synthesized from 4‐(1‐adamantyl)‐phenol through the incorporation of adamantane as a pendant group into the polybenzoxazine backbone. Both ¹H‐NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectra were used to characterize these structures. The rigid structure of the adamantane tended to hinder the chain mobility (boat anchor effect) and substantially enhanced the thermal properties, including the glass‐transition temperature and decomposition temperature, especially for poly(6‐adamantyl‐3‐methyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1,3‐benzoxazine). In the poly(6‐adamantyl‐3‐phenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1,3‐benzoxazine) system, however, the opposite result for the glass‐transition temperature was observed and it was interpreted as lower crosslinking density. The phenyl group was bulkier than the methyl group, and the movement of the molecular chain was hindered between bridging points during the curing process; this resulted in a lower crosslinking density and a lower glass‐transition temperature than those of poly(6‐adamantyl‐3‐methyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐1,3‐benzoxazine). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 932–940, 2004     

Effect of 1,3,5‐trialkyl‐benzenetricarboxylamide on the crystallization of poly(lactic acid)

A series of 1,3,5‐trialkyl‐benzenetricarboxylamides (BTA‐Rs) with different side‐chain lengths of n‐alkyl are synthesized to use as nucleating agents of poly (lactic acid) (PLA). Crystallization rate of PLA is detailed discussed in nonisothermal melt‐crystallization with addition of the synthesized nucleating agents. Among these BTA‐Rs, BTA‐n‐butyl (BTA‐nBu) shows the most excellent nucleation ability for PLA. The influences of BTA‐nBu on the nonisothermal melt‐crystallization and cold‐crystallization from the glassy state, isothermal crystallization, crystalline structure, and spherulite morphology of PLA are investigated. It is found that 0.8 wt % is the optimal weight fraction of BTA‐nBu to improve the crystallization of PLA. In the case of isothermal melt‐crystallization from melt, the addition of BTA‐nBu shortens the crystallization half‐time and speeds up the crystallization rate of PLA with no discernible effect on the crystalline structure. Besides, BTA‐nBu nucleated PLA exhibits smaller spherulites size and larger nucleation density than that of pure PLA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1328‐1336, 2013     

Rheological,thermal, and morphological properties of low‐density polyethylene/ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene and linear low‐density polyethylene/ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene blends

The dynamic rheological behavior of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) blends and linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/UHMWPE blends was measured in a parallel‐plate rheometer at 180, 190, and 200°C. Analysis of the log–additivity rule, Cole–Cole plots, Han curves, and Van Gurp curves of the LDPE/UHMWPE blends indicated that the blends were miscible in the melt. In contrast, the rheological properties of LLDPE/UHMWPE showed that the miscibility of the blends was decided by the composition of LLDPE. The differential scanning calorimetry results and scanning electron microscopy photos of the LLDPE/UHMWPE blends were consistent with the rheological properties, whereas with regard to the thermal and morphological properties of LDPE/UHMWPE blends, the results reveal three endothermic peaks and phase separation, which indicated a liquid–solid phase separation in the LDPE/UHMWPE blends. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Thermal and mechanical characterization of films based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and β‐lactoglobulin blends

In this study, we investigated the possibility of creating easy to handle films based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and β‐lactoglobulin (βlg) blends using the casting method. Four different variables were studied to obtain these films: different proportions of PVA and βlg, different pHs (10, 7, 5.5, and 2.5), several molecular masses of PVA (130,000, 13,000–23,000, and 2000 g/mol), and the denaturation of βlg. The first objective was to obtain films, and the second was to characterize them by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical testing. Significant variations in behavior were found, and the variables studied modified the blends in different ways. In particular, better results were achieved when the βlg proportion was less than 30 wt %, and when a pH of 2.5 was used in conjunction with a high molecular mass (130,000 g/mol) of PVA. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41745.     

Synthesis,characterization, and curing of {2,6–bis‐[2‐(bis‐oxiranylmethyl‐amino)‐methylbenzyl]‐phenyl}‐bis‐oxiranylmethylamine (BPBOMA)

The curing behavior of epoxy resin prepared by reacting epichlorohydrin with amine functional aniline acetaldehyde condensate (AFAAC) was investigated using AFAAC as a curing agent. The epoxy resin, {2,6‐bis‐[2‐(bis‐oxiranylmethyl‐amino)‐methylbenzyl]‐phenyl}‐bis‐oxiranylmethylamine (BPBOMA), was characterized by FTIR and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, viscosity measurement, and determination of epoxy content. Analysis of the curing reaction was followed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. To investigate the curing kinetic with AFAAC, dynamic DSC scans were made at heating rates of 5, 10, 15, and 20°C/min. The activation energy and frequency factor of the AFAAC formulation were evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 3168–3174, 2006     

Regulation of trans‐1,4‐polyisoprene crystallinity and mechanical properties of styrene‐butadiene rubber/trans‐1,4‐polyisoprene vulcanizate

The effects of processing temperature and bis‐[γ‐(triethoxysilyl)‐propyl]‐tetrasulfide (Si69) on crystallization, morphology, and mechanical properties of styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR)/trans‐1,4‐polyisoprene (TPI) vulcanizate are investigated. The crystallinity and crystalline melting temperature (T_m) of TPI in the vulcanizates with TPI/silica/(Si69) pre‐mixed at 150 °C are much lower than that pre‐mixed at 80 °C. At the same pre‐mixing temperature, the presence of 1 phr Si69 leads to a decreased crystallinity and T_m. The TPI domains with phase size of about 1 μm and silica are well dispersed in the vulcanizate, and TPI crystals get smaller in size and less in amount by pre‐mixing TPI, silica and Si69 at 150 °C. The vulcanizates with TPI/silica/(Si69) pre‐mixed at 150 °C have decreased tensile strength and modulus at a given extension than that pre‐mixed at 80 °C. At the same pre‐mixing temperature, the tensile strength and modulus of the vulcanizate increase with the addition of 1 phr Si69. The crystallinity of TPI component in SBR/TPI vulcanizate is effectively controlled by changing processing temperature and adding Si69, which is important for theoretical research and practical application of TPI. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44395.     

Morphology and nonisothermal crystallization of a polyacetal/poly(ε‐caprolactone) reactive blend prepared via a chain‐transfer reaction

A polyacetal (POM)/poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) reactive blend prepared via a chain‐transfer reaction was investigated with respect to its morphology and nonisothermal crystallization, and the results were compared with those of a simple POM/PCL blend. The reactive blend had a microscopically phase‐separated morphology in which the diameter of the PCL microphase was below 100 nm, and it clearly yielded ring‐banded spherulites, whereas between the two blends, there were no significant differences in the diameters and polygonal edges of the spherulites and in the long period of the POM phases. The PCL part of the reactive blend crystallized within the confined microspace with about 10% lower crystallinity than that of the corresponding simple blend. A lower Avrami exponent and crystallization rate parameter of the PCL part were observed in the primary crystallization process of the reactive blend. In contrast, the crystallinity of the POM component and the nonisothermal crystallization kinetic parameters of the POM part showed no noticeable differences between the two blends at any given cooling rate. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Synthesis and investigation of oligosiloxanes containing γ‐trimethylsiloxy‐propyl or γ‐hydroxy‐propyl groups

Oligosiloxanes having different distributions of Si? H groups were prepared, and the addition of Si? H bonds to C?C double bounds of trimethyl(2‐propenyloxy)silane was utilized to obtain oligosiloxanes having different distributions of γ‐trimethylsiloxy‐propyl or γ‐hydroxy‐propyl groups as substituents. The oligosiloxanes were characterized by IR and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. Viscosity was studied to investigate the effects of the substituents. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the thermal behaviour of these oligosiloxanes. It was found that they are completely amorphous materials and, hence, show only a glass transition. We found that the viscosities and glass transition temperatures of these materials increased with the increasing of the number of substituents. Hydrogen bonds have a considerable influence on the increase of the viscosities and glass transition temperatures of oligosiloxanes. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2431–2435, 2002     

Polymers based on N,N‐diglycidylaniline. I. Investigations of the curing kinetics by dynamic differential scanning calorimetry measurements

N,N‐Diglycidylaniline was reacted with aniline (yielding polymer EP‐1) and the newly synthesized chromophore 4‐(phenylazo)aniline (yielding polymer EP‐2). The curing kinetics of these two epoxy resin systems was studied in dynamic experiments by means of differential scanning calorimetry. Kinetic parameters such as the activation energy and frequency factor were estimated with the Ozawa method [E(O) and A(O), respectively], the Kissinger method [E(K) and A(K), respectively], and the modified Avrami method [E(A) and A(A), respectively]. The activation energy and frequency factor of EP‐1 were much lower than those of EP‐2 estimated with the Ozawa, Kissinger, and Avrami methods. The activation energy and frequency factor for EP‐1 determined with the Ozawa method [E(O) = 55.8 kJ/mol, A(O) = 10 × 10³ 1/s] and the Avrami method [E(A) = 56.4 kJ/mol, A(A) = 9.2 × 10³ 1/s] were higher than those determined with the Kissinger method [E(K) = 51.0 kJ/mol, A(K) = 2 × 10³ 1/s]. In the case of EP‐2, the kinetic parameters calculated with the Ozawa model [E(O) = 140.4 kJ/mol, A(O) = 12.3 × 10¹³ 1/s] and the Kissinger model [E(K) = 139.9 kJ/mol, A(K) = 10.9 × 10¹³ 1/s] were higher than those calculated with the Avrami model [E(A) = 130.4 kJ/mol, A(A) = 7.9 × 10¹² 1/s]. The obtained polymers were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, ¹H‐NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The polymers exhibited low glass‐transition temperatures in the range of 57–79°C and good solubility in common organic solvents. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Curing behavior study of polydimethylsiloxane‐modified allylated novolac/4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane resin

The curing behavior of polydimethylsiloxane‐modified allylated novolac/4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane resin (PDMS‐modified AN/BDM) was investigated by using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry. The results of FTIR confirmed that the curing reactions of the PDMS‐modified AN/BDM resins, including “Ene” reaction and Diels–Alder reaction between allyl groups and maleimide groups, should be similar to those of the parent allylated novolac/4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane (AN/BDM) resin. The results of dynamic DSC showed that the total curing enthalpy of the PDMS‐modified AN/BDM resins was lower than that of the parent resin. Incorporation of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) into the backbone of the allylated novolac (AN) resin favored the Claisen rearrangement reaction of allyl groups. The isothermal DSC method was used to study the kinetics of the curing process. The experimental data for the parent AN/BDM resin and the PDMS‐modified AN/BDM resins exhibited an nth‐order behavior. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Polyurethane/poly(ethylene‐co‐ethyl acrylate) and functional carbon black‐based hybrids: Physical properties and shape memory behavior

A polyurethane (PU) was developed from poly(dimethylamine‐co‐epichlorohydrin‐co‐ethylenediamine) (PDMAE) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as soft segment and 2,4‐toluene diisocyanate (TDI) incorporating as hard segment. Later PU was blended with poly(ethylene‐co‐ethyl acrylate) (PEEA). Poly(vinyl alcohol)‐functionalized carbon black (CB‐PVA) nanoparticles was used as filler. The structure, morphology, mechanical, crystallization, and shape memory behavior (heat and voltage) were investigated methodically. Due to physical interaction of the blend components, unique self‐assembled network morphology was observed. The interpenetrating network was responsible for 83% rise in tensile modulus and 46% increase in Young's modulus of PU/PEEA/CB‐PVA 1 hybrid compared with neat PU/PEEA bend. Electrical conductivity was increased to 0.2 Scm^?1 with 1 wt % CB‐PVA nanofiller. The original shape of sample was almost 94% recovered using heat induced shape memory effect while 97% recovery was observed in an electric field of 40 V. Electroactive shape memory results were found better than heat stimulation effect. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43481.