On the Structure and Strength of Solvent-Welded Joints: The Intrinsic Joint Strength and the Effect of Dissolved Polymer in the Solvent Cement

It is proposed that the intrinsic strength of a solvent-welded joint can be represented by the magnitude of its critical principal strain. A large critical principal strain implied a high intrinsic weld strength. With poly(vinylchloride) adherends, solvent welds formed using pure tetrahydrofuran (THF) and cyclohexanone bonding solvents had high intrinsic joint strengths while solvent welds from pure methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) bonding solvent had lower intrinsic joint strength. In the THF bonding system, the introduction of dissolved polymer in the bonding agent led to significant decreases in the strength of the solvent-welded joint. Additions of up to 2% by weight of dissolved polymer in the MEK bonding agent increased the strength of the solvent weld. However, further increases in the dissolved polymer content in MEK bonding agent also led to decreases in strength.     

Influence of the Bonding Solvent on the Structure and Strength of Solvent Welded Joints

The influence of the bonding solvent on the strength of solvent welded joints has been studied. Strong solvent welds are produced with solvents having the greatest ability to dissolve the polymer and not with solvents which could diffuse most rapidly into the adherend. The formation of a gel layer of highly mobile chains (on the application of a good solvent to the mating surfaces) promotes extensive and intimate bonding across the original interface so that no plane of weakness is obtained. Such welds exhibit high strength since they do not have any preferred plane of failure and extensive deformation of the weld accompanies crack initiation and propagation. When a poorer bonding solvent is used, solvent welds with lower strengths are obtained since soft and weak interfacial layers form at the original interfaces of the weld.     

The Differential Displacements and the Failure in Solvent-Welded Lap Joints

A recent analytical model for adhesive joints proposed by Yue and Cherry for analysing and predicting the strength of solvent-welded lap joints is examined. The experimental verification of an important assumed basis of the applicability of this model to solvent-welded joints is considered. The differential strain in the composite adhesive layer of the solvent-welded joint was shown to be approximately equal to the differential strain in its final adhesive layer. The differential strain and hence the stress concentration was largest near the edge of the overlap. Fractography suggested that failure of the joint initiated at the edge of the overlap.     

The Differential Displacements and the Failure in Solvent-Welded Lap Joints

A recent analytical model for adhesive joints proposed by Yue and Cherry for analysing and predicting the strength of solvent-welded lap joints is examined. The experimental verification of an important assumed basis of the applicability of this model to solvent-welded joints is considered. The differential strain in the composite adhesive layer of the solvent-welded joint was shown to be approximately equal to the differential strain in its final adhesive layer. The differential strain and hence the stress concentration was largest near the edge of the overlap. Fractography suggested that failure of the joint initiated at the edge of the overlap.     

Strength of glass-filled modified polyphenylene oxide vibration-welded butt joints

The strengths of glass-filled modified polyphenylene oxide (GF-MPPO) welds relative to the strengths of GF-MPPO are shown to depend on specimen thickness. (Modified polyphenylene oxide is a blend of poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and high-impact polystyrene.) Relative strengths on the order of 70 and 87 percent can be achieved in 6.1 and 3.18-mm-thick specimens, respectively. Welds of GF-MPPO to modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO) can easily attain the strength of MPPO, the weaker of the two materials. In contrast to MPPO, in which weld strength decreases with increased weld pressure, the strengths of GF-MPPO to GF-MPPO welds and GF-MPPO to MPPO welds, are not affected by weld pressure.     

Vaporized solvent bonding of polymethyl methacrylate

This investigation highlights rationale of vaporized solvent bonding for fabrication of transparent polymers such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in terms of optical transparency and bond strength. Vaporized solvent bonding is employed to fabricate the polymer, and its bonding characteristics with appropriate solvents are analyzed. It is observed that chloroform exhibits superior bonding characteristics in comparison with other solvents such as acetone, ethanol, and dichloromethane. In order to see the effect of prior surface modification carried out by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and low-pressure plasma, surface energy of the polymer was estimated. It is observed that due to surface modification of PMMA by UV irradiation and low-pressure plasma, surface energy of the polymer increases considerably. However, due to exposure under UV irradiation and low-pressure plasma, molecular weight of PMMA decreases and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies reveal that the topography of PMMA changes significantly resulting in deterioration of vaporized solvent bonding strength. Therefore, in the case of vaporized solvent bonding, increase in surface energy of the polymer is not a primary factor rather retention of molecular weight is more necessary.     

Vibration welding of thermoplastics. Part III: Strength of polycarbonate butt welds

In vibration welding of thermoplastics, frictional work done by vibrating two parts under pressure, along their common interface, is used to generate heat to effect a weld. The main process parameters are the weld frequency, the amplitude of the vibratory motion, the weld pressure, and the weld time or weld penetration; The effects of these parameters on weld quality were systematically studied by first butt-welding polycarbonate specimens under controlled conditions over a wide range of process parameters, and by then determining the strengths and ductilities of these welds by tensile tests, A significant result is the apparent existence of a weld-penetration threshold above which high weld strengths are attained, but below which the strength drops off. Under the right conditions, the strengths of polycarbonate butt welds are shown to equal the strength of the virgin polymer.     

Solvent dependence of the viscous and viscoelastic properties of a high molecular weight polystyrene in moderately concentrated solution

The steady-flow viscosity and viscoelastic behaviour of two solutions of a sensibly monodisperse polystyrene of high molecular weight (M_w = 498 000) have been measured over a temperature range of 100°C for identical concentrations of 20.55 wt.%. Toluene and methyl ethyl ketone were chosen as the two low viscosity solvents having, respectively, good and marginal thermodynamic affinities. Dynamic viscoelastic measurements were made at a frequency of 41 kHz using travelling torsional waves. At this frequency, both solutions exhibit behaviour characteristic of the rubbery region, and the ratio of the dynamic viscosity normalised by dividing by the corresponding solvent viscosity is independent of the solvent until the onset of the glass transition region with decreasing temperature. The storage shear modulus of the toluene solution in the rubbery region is higher than for the MEK solution, indicating a higher entanglement density in the better solvent and a larger polymer radius. Some features of the results in the poor solvent (MEK) appear to indicate that, as the temperature decreases, partial exclusion of the solvent leads to the formation both of stronger entanglements and of macromolecular aggregates or bundles, as suggested by Dreval and others^6–8,11,22.     

Strength and Microstructure of Solvent Welded Joints of Polycarbonate

The relationship of joint strength of solvent welded joints of polycarbonate to their microstructure is investigated. We used three solvents - butanone, acetone, and cyclohexanone - to test the effect of solubility parameters, and a mixture of cyclohexanone with ethanol to test the effect of a cosolvent; the effect of variation of welding temperature-on both the joint strength and the microstructure is also investigated. Three fracture modes in shear, tensile and tear tests are analyzed. Polycarbonate treated with butanone has maximum joint strength. Cyclohexanone at 78 vol% in ethanol produces the maximum joint strength of polycarbonate. The joint strength of polycarbonate joints welded with cyclohexanone increases with the temperature at which the weld is made. Comparing microstructure with joint strength, tongues, equiaxed dimples and elongated dimples are responsible for the maximum shear, tensile and tear strength, respectively.     

Experiments on the induction welding of thermoplastics

In induction welding of thermoplastics, induction heating of a gasket, made of a ferromagnetic‐powder‐filled bonding material and placed at the interface of thermoplastic parts to be joined, is used to melt the interface; subsequent solidification of the melt results in a weld. Tensile tests on induction butt‐welds of polycarbonate (PC), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and polypropylene (PP) are used to characterize achievable weld strengths, and microscopy is used to correlate weld strength with the morphology of failure surfaces. In PC, PBT, and PP relative weld strengths as high as 48%, 43%, and 55% of the respective strengths of PC, PBT, and PP have been demonstrated. Relative weld strengths on the order of 20% have been demonstrated in PC‐to‐PBT welds.     

Preparation of ethyl cellulose microcapsules containing perphenazine and polymeric perphenazine based on acryloyl chloride for physical and chemical studies of drug release control

The preparation of microcapsules containing perphenazine by solvent evaporation using ethyl cellulose is described. The microparticles are formed after solvent evaporation and polymer precipitation. The drug was dissolved in a polymer solution and emulsified into an aqueous phase to form microcapsules. To study the effects on particle size, encapsulation efficiency and morphology, three different molecular weights of ethyl cellulose (M_w=47000, 71000 and 99000) were used. Covalent bonding of drugs to polymers via hydrolytically or enzymatically cleavable covalent bond was achieved for sustained drug delivery. The release rate of perphenazine from these systems was investigated. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Studies on the electrospun submicron fibers of SIS and its mechanical properties

The submicron fibers were prepared via electrospinning the styrene–isoprene–styrene (SIS) triblock copolymer from a pure solvent of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and a mixed solvent of THF and N, N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). The addition of DMF to THF resulted in a beneficial effect on the fiber formation and the electrospinnability. The obtained results revealed that the fibers were only formed in a narrow solution concentration range of 8–15 wt %; the morphology, diameter, structure, and mechanical performance of as‐spun fibers from PS and SIS solutions were affected by the composition weight ratio and the solution properties; and those from the solution at the intermediate concentration of 10 wt % exhibited a maximum tensile strength and strain at break. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Rheological properties of poly(ethylene oxide) aqueous solutions

This article describes the rheological properties of certain poly(ethylene oxide)s dissolved in water-based solvents. The experimental results show that the rheological properties in aqueous solutions are significantly affected by the solvent properties, which have been changed by the use of ethanol–water mixtures and electrolyte solutions and by the variation of the ambient pressure and temperature. The variation of the temperature and pressure is seen to change the polymer chain configuration and also the interactions of polymer segments with the solvent molecules. This gives rise to distinctive and apparently unusual rheological properties for these systems with the variation of the ambient temperature and pressure. The study generally illustrates that the rheology of these systems are, to a large degree, influenced by the hydrogen bonding in the solvent and between the solvent as well as the polymer. At a first-order level, the increase of the pressure and the temperature and also the addition of electrolytes, and the inclusion of an aqueous diluent, produce comparable effects. In essence, these changes seem to disrupt the hydrogen bonding structure in the solutions and, hence, the solvent quality in a comparable fashion. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 70: 419–429, 1998     

Strength and morphology of solid bridges in dry granules of pharmaceutical powders

This is an experimental study of the tensile strength of solid bridges between primary particles comprising granules of lactose or mannitol. We report on two systems: granules prepared with ethanol granulating solutions, in which the base powders were at most sparingly soluble, and aqueous granulating solutions, in which the base powder solubility was large. Both systems were studied with and without hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or surfactants (Triton-X100, sodium lauryl sulfate or polysorbate 80) added to the granulating solution. The interparticle bridge strength was determined from the granule crush strength with a simple model that assumes that solid bridges form by evaporation of solvent from liquid bridges that maintain their shape during drying.Lactose granules prepared with pure ethanol are very weak, with crush strength comparable to that predicted by JKR theory, consistent with its negligible solubility. Mannitol, which is sparingly soluble, forms granules with bridge strength similar to the theoretical (Griffith) strength of a pure mannitol. Addition of HPC or PVP to the granulating solution produces bridges with strength comparable to that of pure polymer films. In comparison, the behavior of granules prepared with aqueous granulating solutions was much more complex due to the high saturation concentration of base powder. Granules produced with pure water had bridge strength approximately 20% of the theoretical strength. Addition of HPC or PVP to lactose granules increased the bridge strength modestly, but the strength was much smaller than that of the corresponding pure polymer films. Addition of HPC to mannitol granules had little effect on bridge strength, while PVP reduced bridge strength by approximately 30%. Addition of surfactants to the granulating solution also reduced dry bridge strength. These results reflect the complex microstructure and resulting mechanical properties of dry bridges produced by coprecipitation of the sugars and polymers (or surfactants).     

Welding of polymer interfaces

Studies of strength development at polymer-polymer interfaces are examined and applications to welding of similar and dissimilar polymers are considered. The fracture properties of the weld, namely, fracture stress, σ, fracture energy, G_Ic, fatigue crack propagation rate da/dN, and microscopic aspects of the deformation process are determined using compact tension, wedge cleavage, and double cantilever beam healing experiments. The mechanical properties are related to the structure of the interface via microscopic deformation mechanisms involving disentanglement and bond rupture. The time dependent structure of the welding interface is determined in terms of the molecular dynamics of the polymer chains, the chemical compatibility, and the fractal nature of diffuse interfaces. Several experimental methods are used to probe the weld structure and compare with theoretical scaling laws, Results are given for symmetric amorphous welds, incompatible and compatible asymmetric amorphous welds, incompatible semicrystalline and polymer-metal welds. The relevance of interface healing studies to thermal, friction, solvent and ultrasonic welds is discussed.     

Vibration welding of thermoplastics. Part IV: Strengths of poly(butylene terephthalate), polyetherimide,and modified polyphenylene oxide butt welds

In vibration welding of thermoplastics, frictional work done by vibrating two parts under pressure, along their common interface, is used to generate heat to effect a weld. The main process parameters are the weld frequency, the amplitude of the vibratory motion, the weld pressure, and the weld time or weld penetration.; The effects of these parameters on weld quality were systematically studied by first butt welding thermoplastic specimens under controlled conditions, over a wide range of process parameters, and by then determining the strengths and ductilities of these welds by tensile tests. The three thermoplastics investigated are poly (butylene terephthalate), polyetherimide, and modified polyphenylene oxide. Changes in the weld pressure are shown to have opposite effects on the strengths of polyetherimide and modified polyphenylene oxide welds; Also, the weld frequency is shown to have a significant effect on the weldability of polyetherimide. The weldability data for these three thermoplastics are compared with data for polycarbonate. Under the right conditions, the strengths of butt welds in these materials are shown to equal the strength of the virgin polymer.     

Factors affecting the joint strength of ultrasonically welded polypropylene composites

Ultrasonic welding of thermoplastic composites has become an important process in industry because of its relatively low cost and resultant high quality joints. An experimental study, based on the Taguchi orthogonal array design, is reported on the effect of different processing factors on the joint strength of ultrasonically welded composites, including weld time, weld pressure, amplitude of vibration, hold time, hold pressure, and geometry of energy director. Three materials were used in the study: virgin polypropylene, and 10% and 30% glass‐fiber filled polypropylene composites. Experiments were carried out on a 2000‐Watt ultrasonic welding unit. After welding, the joint strength of the composites was determined by a tensile tester. For the factors selected in the main experiments, weld time, geometry of energy director and amplitude of vibration were found to be the principal factors affecting the joint property of ultrasonically welded thermoplastic composites. Glass‐fiber filled polymers required less energy for successful welding than the non‐filled polymer. The joint strength of welded parts increased with the fiber content in the composites. In addition, a triangular energy director was found to weld parts of the highest strength for virgin polypropylene and 10% glass‐fiber filled polypropylene composites, while a semi‐circular energy director was found to weld the highest strength parts for 30% glass‐fiber filled composites.     

Solution properties of hexamethylene diisocyanate based polyurethane cationomers

Summary Viscosity measurements of hexamethylene diisocyanate based cationomer in various polarity solvents and in water/solvent were performed. For the un-ionized sample in pure MEK and DMF, the reduced viscosities of both solutions follow the Huggins relation. For ionized samples in pure MEK and DMF, aggregation of the ionized hard segments still exist in the MEK and DMF solution in the high polymer concentration range, whereas chain expansion occurs in the DMF solution in the low polymer concentration range. For ionized samples in water/solvent mixtures, at a mixing ratio (by weight) of 0.12, the reduced viscosity indicates an aggregation behavior in MEK/water and a polyelectrolyte behavior in DMF/water. At a mixing ratio (by weight) between 0.24 and 4.44, the reduced viscosity indicates a polyelectrolyte behavior. The polymer particles change from a clear elastic gel to microspheres. For emulsions of the ionized samples, the reduced viscosity exhibits polyelectrolyte behavior.     

Miscibility of polymethylmethacrylate and polyethyleneglycol blends in tetrahydrofuran

The miscibility of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyethyleneglycol (PEG) blends in tetrahydrofuran (THF) has been investigated by viscosity, density, refractive index, and ultrasonic velocity studies. Various interaction parameters such as polymer–solvent and blend–solvent interaction parameters and heat of mixing have been calculated using the viscosity, density, and ultrasonic velocity data. The results indicated the existence of positive interactions in the blend polymer solutions and that they are miscible in THF in the entire composition range. The study also revealed that variation in the temperature does not affect the miscibility of PMMA and PEG blends in THF significantly. The presence of hydrogen bonding in the blends in the solid state has also been indicated by FTIR studies. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Semi‐empirical,squeeze flow and intermolecular diffusion model. I. Determination of model parameters

This article reviews the development of molecular healing models that couple squeeze flow and intermolecular diffusion. Historically there are a few studies that combine these processes for fusion bonding of thermoplastic composites. The motivation of this work was to develop similar models for welding of polymer films and films to substrates. These models are theoretically developed and experimentally verified. It was found that the time dependence for squeeze flow is of the same order of magnitude as that for intermolecular diffusion, making models for these processes indistinguishable experimentally, and therefore, they were assumed to occur simultaneously. Furthermore, it was found that healing of the weld can be better defined as a function of time and temperature instead of temperature alone, as historically done for welding applications. Comparison of the weld strength predictions with experimental data for impulse welds showed that the developed models were able to predict weld strength over a wide range of parameters. In Part 2, moving heat source heat transfer models together with the coupled squeeze flow and intermolecular diffusion model are used to predict healing during laser microwelding. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers