Thermal decomposition of cellulose/synthetic polymer blends containing grafted products. II. Cellulose/polyacrylonitrile blends

The homogeneous grafting of acrylonitrile onto cellulose was carried out in a dimethyl sulfoxide/paraformaldehyde solvent system. The grafted products were added to cellulose/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) blends as compatibilizers. The thermal decomposition behavior of the blends was investigated by thermogravimetry. The thermal stability of the blends with higher grafted product content was lower by more than 100°C than that of the blends without grafted product. The accessibility values of the former blends were larger than those of the latter. The microphase-separated structures of the grafted product blends were finer than those without the product. Dynamic mechanical measurements and differential scanning calorimetry were performed to estimate the glass transition temperatures, T_g, of the blends. The variation in T_g was smaller than that in characteristic temperatures determined by thermogravimetry. The difference in thermal decomposition behavior was correlated to that in compatibility. Thermogravimetry was found to be effective for estimating the compatibility in cellulose/PAN blends containing grafted products. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Studies on polycarbonate/polystyrene/polycarbonate- graft-polystyrene blends. II. Compatibility and morphology of PC/PS/PC-g-PS blends

A radiation grafted copolymer of polycarbonate (PC) and polystyrene (PS) was used as a compatibilizer of PC/PS melt blends. The compatibility and morphology of PC/PS/PC-g-PS blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. As a consequence of the addition of PC-g-PS, the compatibility of PC/PS blends was improved; the dimensions of the dispersed phases and the interfacial tension between the two phases were reduced. Additionally, stabilization against gross segregation and interfacial adhesion of the blends were also improved by adding PC-g-PS as a compatibilizer. © 1998 SCI.     

Thermal decomposition behavior of miscible cellulose/synthetic polymer blends

The thermal decomposition behavior of the miscible cellulosic blends cellulose(Cell)/poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP), Cell/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and Cell/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was investigated by thermogravimetry. The thermal stability of Cell in the Cell/PVP blends decreased but that of Cell in the Cell/PEG and Cell/PVA blends was hardly influenced. The thermal stability of synthetic polymers in the blends was little affected. The difference in thermal decomposition behavior was correlated to the difference in miscibility. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 2133–2137, 1998     

PLA/POE-g-GMA共混物的制备及性能研究

采用熔融反应法制备乙烯-辛烯共聚物（POE）接枝甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯（GMA）（POE-g-GMA）,实现POE反应的官能化,通过反应共混的方法制备聚乳酸（PLA）/POE共混物,考察了POE和POE-g-GMA对PLA的力学性能和热性能及微观形态的影响。结果表明：POE-g-GMA要有适当的接枝率,增韧效果才显著,用0.6%～0.8%接枝率的POE-g-GMA增韧PLA,当POE-g-GMA质量分数达到20%时,共混物的缺口冲击强度提高到基体PLA的6倍左右;同时材料的热性能基本不受影响。POE与PLA间相容性不好,接枝后与PLA间相容性得到改善。     

官能化接枝共聚物增容PA6/PS共混物的研究

将苯乙烯(St)和甲基丙烯酸环氧丙酯（GMA）通过乳液聚合接枝到聚丁二烯(PB)上,形成核壳结构接枝共聚物PB-g-PS和官能化接枝共聚物PB-g-(St-GMA),并考察了其对聚酰胺6/聚苯乙烯(PA6/PS)共混物相容性的影响。对共混物的流变性能、动态力学性能和形态结构进行了分析,结果表明,引入1 %官能化单体GMA后,共混物的平衡扭矩增加,PA6与PS两相的玻璃化转变温度差值变小,分散相尺寸明显减小,PB-g-(St-GMA)可以改善PA6/PS共混物的相容性。继续增加PB-g-(St-GMA)中GMA含量时,共混物相容性下降。     

废胶粉/聚丙烯接枝物共混材料的制备与性能

采用熔融接枝法分别制备了高强度和高熔体流动速率的聚丙烯接枝马来酸酐共聚物,以改善聚丙烯与胶粉间的界面相容性,提高废胶粉/聚丙烯接枝物共混材料的力学性能和流动性.力学性能测试结果表明,随着废胶粉用量的增加,废胶粉/聚丙烯接枝物共混材料的拉伸性能下降,扯断伸长率和缺口冲击强度均增大,熔体流动速率减小,流动性变差.由热重分析...     

Polypropylene/polypropylene‐grafted acrylic acid copolymer/ethylene–Acrylic acid copolymer ternary blends for hydrophilic polypropylene

Ternary blends of polypropylene (PP), a polypropylene‐grafted acrylic acid copolymer (PP‐g‐AA), and an ethylene–acrylic acid copolymer (EAA) were prepared by melt blending. The surfaces of films with different contents of these three components were characterized with contact‐angle measurements. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the microstructure, melting and crystalline behavior, and thermal stability of the blends. The contact angles of the PP/PP‐g‐AA blends decreased monotonically with increasing PP‐g‐AA content. With the incorporation of EAA, the contact angles of the PP/PP‐g‐AA/EAA ternary blends decreased with increasing EAA content. When the concentration of EAA was higher than 15 wt %, the contact angles of the ternary blends began to increase. Scanning electron microscopy observations confirmed that PP‐g‐AA acted as a compatibilizer and improved the compatibility between PP and EAA in the ternary blends. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis suggested that acrylic acid moieties could act as nucleating agents for PP in the polymer blends. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetry confirmed the optimal blend ratio for the PP/PP‐g‐AA/EAA ternary blends was 70/15/15. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 436–442, 2006     

Cure kinetics and properties of epoxy/dicyanate blends

The cure behavior and properties of epoxy/dicyanate blends containing a stoichiometric amount of an amine curing agent for epoxilde groups were investigated as a function of blend composition. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the dynamic and isothermal cure behavior of the blends. The cure rate of the blend increased with increasing dicyanate content. A second order autocatalytic reaction mechanism described the cure kinetics of the blends. The kinetic parameters were determined by fitting the dynamic DSC data to the model kinetic equation. The k₁₀ and E₁ values were mainly affected by the change of dicyanate content. The glass transition temperature of the blend decreased with increasing dicyanate content. The thermal decomposition characteristics of the blends were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) were used to investigate the mechanical properties of the blends. With increasing dicyanate content, the cure rate increased but the thermal and mechanical properties of the cured blends were not improved.     

Compatibility and nonlinear viscoelasticity of polychloroprene/polyvinyl chloride blends with nitrile butadiene rubber as a compatibilizer

Miscible polychloroprene/polyvinyl chloride (CR/PVC) blends with nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) as a compatibilizer were prepared. The effect of NBR on the compatibility between CR and PVC was mainly analyzed by studying the thermal behavior and the phase structure of CR/PVC blends. An obvious decrement in the T_g of PVC phase successfully provided an explanation for the compatibilization of NBR. Due to the improved compatibility between CR and PVC, the size of PVC particles in CR/PVC blends decreased a lot according to the scanning electronic microscopic images. The significant improvement of mechanical properties of CR/PVC blends was in good agreement with the better compatibility between CR and PVC phases. The softening effect of NBR on the nonlinear viscoelasticity of CR/PVC blends was also studied by RPA 2000. Temperature sweep test by RPA 2000, a less reported characterization method of T_g, was successfully applied to measure T_g of CR/PVC blends and study the compatibilization of NBR. The reason for better thermal stability and the thermal decomposition mechanism of CR/PVC blends were analyzed according to the results of TGA. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42448.     

MVQ-g-TFEMA对氟橡胶/硅橡胶共混胶的增容作用

通过高温力化学接枝法制备硅橡胶接枝甲基丙烯酸-2,2,2-三氟乙酯(MVQ-g-TFE-MA),作为氟橡胶/硅橡胶共混胶的增容剂。研究增容剂用量对氟橡胶/硅橡胶共混胶的力学性能、耐油性能和低温性能的影响,采用DMA研究共混胶中氟橡胶和硅橡胶的相容性。结果表明,添加的MVQ-g-TFEMA的质量分数为4.6%时,共混胶具有良好的力学性能。随着增容剂的质量分数从0增至11.5%,共混胶的耐油性能提高,脆性温度从-36.8℃下降至-48.3℃。DMA分析表明,增容剂MVQ-g-TFEMA改善了共混胶中氟橡胶和硅橡胶的相容性。     

Nano-CaCO3/PP/PS复合材料的热降解行为的研究

用密炼机制备了马来酸酐接枝PP(MPP)和丙烯酸接枝PP(FPP)增容的nano-CaCO3/PP/PS复合材料,用TGA研究复合材料的热降解行为。结果表明:加入nano-CaCO3有助于提高PP/PS共混物的热稳定性,对于提高复合材料的热稳定性,FPP、MPP与nano-CaCO3不存在协同作用;nano-CaCO3/增容PP/PS共混物复合材料的DTG曲线在400℃~500℃间有两个失重速率峰,分别对应PS和PP的热降解。     

Phase morphology,thermomechanical, and crystallization behavior of uncompatibilized and PP‐g‐MAH compatibilized polypropylene/polystyrene blends

In this article, we discuss the phase morphology, thermal, mechanical, and crystallization properties of uncompatibilized and compatibilized polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends. It is observed that the Young's modulus increases, but other mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, elongation at break, and impact strength decrease by blending PS to PP. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of PP/PS blends were compared with various theoretical models. The thermal stability, melting, and crystallization temperatures and percentage crystallinity of semicrystalline PP in the blends were marginally decreased by the addition of amorphous PS. The presence of maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene (compatibilizer) increases the phase stability of 90/10 and 80/20 blends by preventing the coalescence. Hence, finer and more uniform droplets of PS dispersed phases are observed. The compatibilizer induced some improvement in impact strength for the blends with PP matrix phase, however fluctuations in modulus, strength and ductility were observed with respect to the uncompatibilized blend. The thermal stability was not much affected by the addition of the compatibilizer for the PP rich blends but shows some decrease in the thermal stability of the blends, where PS forms the matrix. On the other hand, the % crystallinity was increased by the addition of compatibilizer, irrespective of the blend concentration. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42100.     

Mechanical properties and creep resistance in polystyrene/polyethylene blends

Recycled plastics, predominantly high‐density polyethylene (PE), are being processed in the shape of dimension lumber and marketed as “plastic lumber.” One drawback to these products is their low creep resistance or high creep speed. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of reducing the creep speed of PE‐based products by blending the PE with a lower‐creep plastic, in this case polystyrene (PS). Various blends of PE and PS were prepared in either a laboratory extruder or a bowl mixer and then compression‐molded. The mechanical properties, creep behavior, morphology, and thermal properties of extruded and compression‐molded samples were determined. The modulus of elasticity of the extruded blends could be estimated by a weighted average of PS and PE, even in the absence of a compatibilizer. Processing strongly affected the morphology and mechanical properties of the blends. For 50% PS : 50% PE blends, the stress–strain curves of the extruded samples showed PE‐like behavior, whereas those from compression‐molded samples were brittle, PS‐like curves. Flexural strength was 50% higher in the extruded samples than in those from compression molding. The creep experiments were performed in three‐point bending. Creep speed was lower in 50% PS : 50% PE and 75% PS : 25% PE blends than in pure PS. Creep speed of 75% PS : 25% PE was lowest of all the extruded blends. PE formed the continuous phase even when the PS content was as high as 50 wt %. For a 75% PS : 25% PE blend, cocontinuous phases were observed in the machine direction. A ribbonlike PS‐dispersed phase was observed in the 25% PS : 75% PE and 50% PS : 50% PE samples. Blending low‐creep‐speed PS with high‐creep‐speed PE appeared to successfully improve the performance of the final composite. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 76: 1100–1108, 2000     

EPDM接枝共聚物对MXD6/PA6/EPDM共混物性能的影响

以马来酸酐接枝三元乙丙橡胶（EPDM-g-MAH）为反应性增容剂,通过熔融共混制得聚间苯二甲胺己二酸/聚酰胺6/三元乙丙橡胶（MXD6/PA6/EPDM）共混物。采用Molau实验研究了共混物的相容性,利用哈克转矩流变仪、差示扫描量热仪、偏光显微镜和热重分析仪等研究了MXD6/PA6/EPDM共混物的流变性能、熔融行为、结晶行为以及耐热性能。结果表明,由于EPDM-g-MAH的引入,共混物的平衡扭矩增大,PA6相与EPDM相界面黏附力明显提高;EPDM-g-MAH的引入导致共混物的球晶形貌规整性变差,成核密度下降,结晶速率减慢;随着EPDM含量的增加,共混物的玻璃化转变温度（Tg）和熔融温度（Tm）均呈下降趋势;EPDM-g-MAH的引入提高了共混物的热稳定性。     

PLA-g-GMA的制备及其对PLA/PPC共混体系性能的影响

采用双螺杆挤出机将甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(GMA)接枝到聚乳酸(PLA)上,而后将接枝产物(PLA-g-GMA)与聚乳酸(PLA)、聚碳酸亚丙酯(PPC)反应性共混,考察了接枝物中GMA加入量变化对PLA/PPC/PLA-g-GMA共混体系的力学性能、热稳定性能的影响,并对共混体系的断裂机理进行了研究。结果表明,PLA-g-GMA的引入能够在一定程度上改善PLA与PPC的相容性。随着接枝物中GMA加入量的增加,共混物的冲击强度、断裂伸长率及拉伸强度均呈现出先升高后降低的趋势,并在接枝物中GMA加入量为3%时达到最大值。扫描电镜结果显示,PLA-g-GMA引入后共混物的韧性断裂特征越发显著,其冲击断裂方式由脆性断裂过渡为韧性断裂。热失重分析结果显示,加入PLA-g-GMA后共混物的起始分解温度和完全分解温度均有一定程度的提高。     

Extrusion of PE/PS blends with supercritical carbon dioxide

The effects of dissolved supercritical carbon dioxide on the viscosity and morphological properties were investigated for polyethylene/polystyrene blends in a twin-screw extruder. The viscosities of the blend/CO₂ solutions were measured using a wedge die mounted on the extruder. A considerable reduction of viscosity was found when CO₂ was dissolved in the blend. It was observed that the dissolution of CO₂ into PE/PS blends, regardless of the CO₂ content used, led to decreased shear thinning behavior resulting in an increase of the power law index from 0.29 to 0.34. The cell structures of foamed PE/PS blends showed a typical dependence of pressure and CO₂ concentration, with higher operating pressures and CO₂ content leading to a smaller cell size. Also, it was noted that the size of the dispersed PS phase in the PE/PS phase blends decreased by increasing the CO₂ concentration, and that the dispersed PS phase domains were highly elongated in the direction normal to the cell radius.     

Radiation effects on LDPE/EVA blends

Radiation effects of low‐density polyethylene/ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer (LDPE/EVA) blends were discussed. EVA content in the LDPE/EVA blends was an enhancement effect on radiation crosslinking of LDPE/EVA blends, and the highest radiation crosslinking was obtained when the EVA content was reached at 30% when irradiated by γ‐ray in air. The phenomenon was discussed with the compatibility, morphology, and thermal properties of LDPE/EVA blends and found that the enhanced radiation crosslinking of the LDPE/EVA blends was proportional to the good compatibility, the increasing degree of the amorphous region's content of the LDPE/EVA blends, and the vinyl acetate content of EVA. We also found that the vinyl acetate of EVA in the blends is easily oxidized by γ‐ray irradiation in air. The possible radiation crosslinking and degradation mechanism of LDPE/EVA blends was discussed quantitatively with a novel method “step‐analysis” process of irradiated LDPE/EVA blends in the thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) technique. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 1296–1302, 2002     

Processing and morphology of polystyrene/ethylene-propylene rubber reactive and nonreactive blends

The difference between reactive and nonreactive polymer blends in terms of processing and morphology has been investigated. The glassy phases for the blends are an oxazoline functional polystyrene (PS-Ox) and a similar non-functional polystyrene (PS). The rubbery phases are an ethylene-propylene rubber (EP) and a similar ethylene-propylene rubber (EP-MA) with 07% grafted maleic anhydride. In the case of PS-Ox/EP-MA blends, the oxazoline group may react with the grafted rubber functionality at the interface between the two immiscible components during blending to form a compatibilizing agent in-situ. The nonreactive blends systems of PS-Ox/EP and PS/EP-MA were used for comparison to the reactive system. The blend components are rheologically matched to simplify the interpretation of the process and morphological data. The blends were prepared in a batch mixer with roller blades. The torque required for mixing was measured during the blending process. The torque traces for the reactive blends exhibited a peak in torque, attributed to the chemical reaction at the interface. The weight fraction of gel in the blends was used to measure the extent of reaction. It correlates well with the mixing torques and rheological properties. The nonreactive PS-Ox/EP and PS/EP-MA blends show poor interfacial adhesion between the two phases. In contrast, the reactive PS-Ox/EP-MA blends show excellent during annealing is also much greater for the reactive blends. Varying the functionality concentration in the PS phase shows that the dispersed phase rubber particle size is reduced by increasing the concentration of oxazoline in the matrix. Blends with no or small amounts of functionality in the PS phase exhibit yield behavior in tension. However, a level of concentration of reactive functionality may be reached where the material becomes brittle.     

Thermal conductivities of blends of polyethylene/SEBS block copolymer and polystyrene/SEBS block copolymer

Thermal conductivities of two series of blends of polystyrene and styrene–ethylene/butyrene–styrene block copolymer (PS/SEBS), and polyethylene and styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer (PE/SEBS) were measured. Here the PS part and hydrogenated polybutadiene (EB; ethylene-butene-1 copolymer) part of SEBS were confirmed to be miscible in PS and PE homopolymers, respectively, by the differential scanning calorimetry. The thermal conductivity of PS/SEBS increased, while that of PE/SEBS blends decreased monotonically, with increasing SEBS content. No significant changes in the range where microphases usually occur were noted. The thermal conductivities of PS/SEBS and PE/SEBS were explained by modifications of our equation for composites. Thermal conductivity of EB in SEBS was estimated from that of PS/SEBS blend as 4.9 × 10^?4 cal/s cm °C. Further, the thermal conductivity of PE/SEBS could be predicted by substituting the obtained value of EB into the modified equation. Therefore, the modified equations were confirmed to be applicable to thermal conductivities of PE/SEBS and PE/SEBS blends. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure and properties of in situ compatibilized polystyrene/polyolefin elastomer blends

To increase the compatibility of polystyrene (PS) and polyolefin elastomer (POE) blends, a Lewis acid catalyst, aluminum chloride (AlCl₃), was adopted to initiate the Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction for the formation of PS‐graft‐POE copolymer. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that PS/POE and PS/POE/AlCl₃ blends are partially miscible, and the formation of PS‐graft‐POE copolymer increased the compatibility between PS and POE. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope results showed that the domain size of the blends decreased dramatically and the size distribution became more uniform with the addition of AlCl₃. Such in situ compatibilization also induced hindrance to the macromolecular chain movement, as reflected by the results of the dynamic rheological analysis. The dynamic rheological behaviors of PS/POE and PS/POE/AlCl₃ blends under different temperature showed that in situ compatibilization weakened the effects of thermooxidation on PS/POE blends. Moreover, in situ compatibilization decreased the activation energy of viscous flow and reduced the influence of temperature on PS/POE blends. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:951–959, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers