Mechanical characterization of toughened polyamide‐6 blends with metallocene copolymers

The effectiveness as impact modifier of two in situ maleated metallocene copolymers, a metallocene polyethylene, (mPE1) and a metallocene ethylene‐propylene (mEPDM) and three commercial maleated copolymers (mPE2‐g‐MA, EPDM‐g‐MA, and mEPR‐g‐MA) were studied in binary and ternary blends carried out in an intermeshing corotating twin‐screw extruder with polyamide‐6 (PA) as matrix (80 wt %). Also, the effects of the grafting degree, viscosity ratio, and crystallinity of the dispersed phases on the morphological and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated. A significant improvement of the compatibility of these grafted copolymers with PA6 was shown by FTIR spectroscopy, capillary rheometry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in all reactive blends. The tensile strength values of the mEPR‐g‐MA/PA2 binary blend showed the highest strain hardening. The results obtained in this work indicated that the effectiveness of the grafted copolymers as impact modifier depends on the morphology of the blends and a combination of tensile properties of the blend components such as Young's modulus, Poisson ratio, and break stress. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Preparation and properties of cyclic olefin copolymers multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and two types of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different aspect ratios were prepared. The morphology, thermal behavior, and electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, and the DC conductivity measurement. It was found that the developed nanocomposite preparation method resulted in good nanotubes dispersion in the polymer matrix for both types of MWCNTs. No appreciable differences in glass transition temperatures were observed between the pure COC and nanocomposites. On the other hand, CNTs significantly improved the thermo‐oxidative stability of the COC. The nanocomposites showed significant delay in onset of degradation and the degradation temperature was ～ 40°C higher than that of the pure COC. The nanocomposites also showed substantially higher DC conductivity, which increased with the nanotube concentration and aspect ratio. An increase of DC electrical conductivity over 10⁹ times can be achieved by the addition of 2 wt % CNTs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Fabrication of superhydrophobic transparent cyclic olefin copolymer (COC)-SiO2 nanocomposite surfaces

A superhydrophobic cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) nanocomposite coating was produced with a very simple and easy method. Self-cleaning superhydrophobic COC surfaces were obtained by only adding surface hydrophobized SiO₂ nanoparticles by dip coating method. The influence of concentration of SiO₂ and the coating temperatures on the wettability of the surfaces were investigated. The surface wettability of the coatings was examined with the contact angle measurements and the surface roughness and morphology were analyzed by using atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Surfaces with certain amounts of COC and SiO₂ showed superhydrophobic character with high water contact angle of 169⁰. Also, the obtained superhydrophobic surfaces show superior water repellent, high transparency, and self-cleaning characteristics.     

Optimization of the thermal mending process in epoxy/cyclic olefin copolymer blends

Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) is utilized as thermoplastic healing agent in an epoxy resin and the effect of mending temperature on the healing of resulting materials is investigated. Blends are prepared by adding 20 and 30 wt% COC powder in the epoxy resin. They are thermo-mechanically characterized and fractured samples are thermally mended at various temperatures to evaluate the healing efficiency of the repaired samples. Optical microscopy reveals a homogenous dispersion of COC domains within epoxy matrix, while thermogravimetric analysis shows improved thermal stability of the samples. The immiscibility of the two phases in the blends lead to a decrease of the mechanical properties under flexural and tensile loading modes with respect to neat epoxy. The fracture toughness increases upon COC addition at elevated amounts. Healing efficiency values up to more than 80% are obtained at the lowest investigated temperature of 145°C for samples with 30 wt% of COC.     

The synthesis and evaluation of cyclic olefin sulfone copolymers and terpolymers as electron beam resists

Poly(cyclopentene sulfone) (PCPS) and poly(bicycloheptene sulfone) (PBCHS) copolymers have been evaluated as potential positive electron beam resists which have good thermal properties and which show high sensitivity to ionizing radiation. It was found that thin copolymer films could be processed as resists but that films greater than 3000 Å thick cracked in the solvents used to dissolve the radiation-exposed regions. Incorporation of plasticizing additives did not improve the film properties. Films from low molecular weight polymer fractions cracked less in solvents, but higher radiation doses were required to offset the reduced sensitivity. This resulted in the formation of intractable residues in the exposed regions which appear to be crosslinked polymer. Bicycloheptene monomers with specific functional groups did not improve the properties of the copolymer films. Terpolymerization with α-olefins such as butene-1 and cis-2-butene plasticized these films and reduced their tendency to crack in solvents. Poly(cyclopentene sulfone–co–butene-1 sulfone) films were found to have the best properties, and 1.25-μ resist images could be etched in SiO₂ layers at an exposure dose of 4 × 10^?6 C/cm² at 25KV. However, one important limitation of this terpolymer was the low dissolution rate ratio between the exposed and unexposed regions. Since straight-walled relief images are essential to the formation of high-resolution patterns, the usefulness of this terpolymer as an electron beam resist appears to be hindered by the limited choice of good solvents to maximize the dissolution rate ratio. PBCHS block terpolymers containing methyl methacrylate (MMA) or methacrylic acid (MAA) were synthesized to improve the solubility in solvents and to incorporate the properties of methacrylates. PBCHS–MMA films cracked in solvents after irradiation; PBCHS–MAA polymers were too insoluble to form resist films.     

Adhesion of olefin block copolymers to polypropylene and high density polyethylene and their effectiveness as compatibilizers in blends

Adhesion of four ethylene-octene block copolymers (OBCs) to polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) was studied by peeling PP/OBC/HDPE microlayered tapes. The four OBCs had different comonomer composition, mechanical properties and phase morphology. Through the Irwin damage zone analysis, it was found that the stress-strain behavior of OBC was the primary factor that determined the adhesion strength. Effectiveness of these OBCs as compatibilizers in PP/HDPE blends was also investigated. Toughness of all OBC-compatibilized blends was effectively improved. The OBCs having higher adhesion strength also resulted in better mechanical performance for the compatibilized blends. A quantitative correlation was established between the adhesion strength and mechanical performance of the blends.     

Influence of different molecular weights of polyhexene-1 on the morphology and rheology of cyclic olefin copolymer blends

The morphology and rheological behavior of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) blends with two molecular weights of polyhexene-1 (PH-1, PH-1-UH [ultra-high]) were investigated at a wide range of compositions. Morphology of the blends at low concentrations of polyhexene-1 s showed a droplet-matrix structure and changed to a co-continuous morphology at intermediate concentrations. The rheological Cole-Cole plots and viscosity versus composition confirmed immiscibility of the blends. The interfacial interaction of blends phases was investigated and Complex viscosity and storage modulus versus frequency were measured and the results were consistent with high interfacial strength between the COC and high concentrations of PH-1-UH which increases the melt strength of the blends. Relaxation time spectra and Tan δ versus frequency curves were analyzed and these results were consistent with a high degree of entanglements between the COC and PH-1-UH chains in the PH-1-UH-rich compounds which in turn increased the elasticity. Damping factor measurements and calculation of interfacial tension using emulsion models showed that in the COC-rich blends, the interfacial interaction COC/PH-1 blends is higher than that of the COC/PH-1-UH blends and thus the elasticity and particles form relaxation time of the PH-1 blends are higher compared to PH-1-UH blends.     

Melt-reprocessable linear low-density polyethylene/cyclic olefin copolymer blends with low dielectric constant and low thermal expansion

Insulation materials with low dielectric constants, low coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), low densities, renewability, and low cost are urgently needed in the fields of communication, control and signal cables. Here we report that combining cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) by melt blending achieves the above goals. The dielectric constant and CTE of LLDPE/COC blends are minimized at 20 wt% COC content, reaching a value of 2.23 at 1000 Hz and 1.21 × 10⁻⁴ K⁻¹, respectively. The density of the blend increases by only 1.6% compared with LLDPE, whereas the tensile modulus increases by 56%, which is conducive to the blends to improve mechanical strength while preserving lightweight. The rheological tests show that the zero-shear viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus of the LLDPE/COC blends do not change much compared with pristine LLDPE, maintaining their good melt processability at 160°C. The cyclic rigid structure of COC causes a decrease in CTE, and the increase in free volume between molecular chains is responsible for the reduced dielectric constant. The present work provides a promising route to the design and fabrication of melt-reprocessable polymer composites with low dielectric constant and low thermal expansion.     

Novel blends of alternating propene-carbon monoxide copolymers and styrenic copolymers

Summary Alternating propene-carbon monoxide copolymers (P-CO) were melt-blended with polystyrene, poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN), and with poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA). P-CO forms homogeneously miscible blends with SAN containing 25 wt% AN at the investigated blend compositions. The transparent blends have single, intermediate glass transition temperatures that fit the Fox equation. The elastic properties of P-CO at room temperature disappear upon blending with SAN because the T _g is driven above RT. Polystyrene and SMA are not miscible with P-CO and form heterogeneous blends with two glass transitions. This demonstrates that both the polarity of the styrenic copolymer and the nature of the comonomer govern its phase behavior. Received: 14 January 1999/Revised version: 19 April 1999/Accepted: 19 April 1999     

Morphology of random and non-random olefin copolymers of ethylene

Studies have been published relating the mechanical properties of ethylene copolymers with short chain branching structures. Other work has emphasized that crystallites in these copolymer systems participate in superstructures and that stress distribution during mechanical testing depends on the arrangement of these structures, the morphology. While developing structure-property correlations, morphologies of some random and non-random olefin copolymers have been examined. Surprising morphological differences were found depending on the length, concentration and degree of randomness of the n-alkyl branch and on vicinal substitution with norbornene derivatives as comonomers. X-ray diffraction yielded unexpected results which can be explained by a change in the direction of chain folding. Linear side chains randomly introduced into an otherwise high density polyethylene result in a two to three fold increase in the 110:200 x-ray intensity ratios, a slight reduction in the 110:020 intensity and a 5 to 10 fold decrease in the 200:02 intensities. These results cannot be explained by orientations introduced in sample preparation. There are associated morphological changes. Vincinal substitution with norbornene comonomers has little effect on crystal habit but does change the morphology, tending to shift superstructures from lamellar to fibrillar in nature.     

烯烃多嵌段共聚物的结构、合成及应用

烯烃多嵌段共聚物是一种新型的聚烯烃热塑性弹性体,主要通过催化乙烯和1-辛烯链穿梭聚合制备得到多嵌段含"软段"和"硬段"的聚合物,其独特结构和性能已经成为新材料的研究热点.本文概述了烯烃嵌段多共聚物的结构和制备合成,并指出了烯烃多嵌段共聚物性能和应用前景.     

Properties of optically transparent materials under quasi-entropic compression

Variation in the refractive index in polymethyl methacrylate and lithium fluoride under quasi-entropic loading was studied experimentally. The values of the refractive index and the correction coefficient in the formula for the mass velocity were determined. The results obtained for quasi-entropic loading are compared with available data for shock-wave compression of the materials studied. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 116–120, May–June, 2006.     

Multipoint ignition of an optically radiating transparent gas

Minsk. Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 16–21, May–June, 1989.     

Manufacturing methods for optically and IR transparent glass ceramics

A method for manufacturing optically transparent sitalls from glasses based on brown coal ashes from the Kuybyshev Automobile and Tractor Electrical Equipment and Carburetor Plant (KATEK) was developed in laboratory conditions. The optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the transparent sitalls were as good as for quartz glass. They are promising for use as the base for optical and magnetooptic information carriers and in fabrication of band-pass filters in the visible and near IR region of the spectrum.Translated from Steklo i Keramika, Nos. 3–4, pp. 15–16, March–April, 1994.     

Linear and networked blends and copolymers of polyimide

Preparation and characterization of blends and copolymers of a fluorinated polyimide with network constituents is reported. 4,4′‐Hexafluoroisopropylidene diphthalic anhydride and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether (6FDA–DDE) polyimide were used as the linear hosts and mellitic acid hexamethyl ester ‐ 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether (MAHE–DDE) was employed as the network constituent for the blend and copolymer. Cast films of the polyimides were characterized by FTIR, XPS, DMA, and TGA. The multifunctional nature of MAHE facilitated crosslinking among the constituents. Both blends and copolymers showed significant improvement in the storage modulus and glass transition temperature relative to that observed for the 6FDA homopolymer. The occurrence of a single glass transition temperature for the blends suggests that they were at least partially miscible. Presence of low molecular weight species in the copolyimides, combined with steric hindrance to crosslinking, may have resulted in the existence of an optimum in the amount of the network components for improving the mechanical properties. Inclusion of network components is presented as a facile method for improving the desirable properties of polyimide. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 3000–3008, 2006     

Thermoplastic blends of physically crosslinked multiblock copolymers and copolymers with uniform grafts

Two multiblock copolymers of styrene and propylene oxide and four acrylate copolymers with uniform polystyrene grafts were prepared and blended. The blends are melt processable and their properties varied from thermoplastic elastomers to toughened plastics. The relationship between mechanical properties and composition of the thermoplastic blends indicated that all the blends exhibited a synergism, which is probably due to the increase of miscibility between the components caused by the same physical crosslinks — the glassy domains aggregated from both the polystyrene grafts and polystyrene blocks. The synergistic effect seemed more evident when two different graft copolymers were blended together than when one multiblock copolymer was blended with one graft copolymer. In all cases a maximum tensile strength appeared at the blend with 90 wt.-% of the component, possessing higher tensile strength and ultimate elongation.     

Properties and preparation of olefin block copolymer/thermoplastic polyurethane blends

The properties of olefin block copolymer (OBC)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends with or without maleic anhydride (MA) modification were characterized and compared. Compared with the OBC/TPU blends, OBC‐g‐MA/TPU blends displayed finer morphology and reduced domain size in the dispersed phase. The crystallization temperatures of TPU decreased significantly from 155.9 °C (OBC/TPU) to 117.5 °C (OBC‐g‐MA/TPU) at low TPU composition in the blends, indicating the inhibition of crystallization through the sufficient interaction of modified OBC with TPU composition. The modified systems showed higher thermal stability than the unmodified systems over the investigated temperature range due to the enhanced interaction through inter‐bonding. The highest improvement in tensile strength was more than fivefold for OBC‐g‐MA/TPU (50/50) in comparison with its unmodified blend via the enhanced interfacial interaction between OBC‐g‐MA and TPU. This also led to the highest Young's modulus of 77.8 ± 3.9 MPa, about twofold increase, among the investigated blend systems. A corresponding improvement on the ductility was also observed for modified blends. The modification did not vary the glass transition temperature and crystalline structure much, thus the improvement in the mechanical properties was mainly attributed to the improved compatibility and interaction from the compatibilization effect as well as increased viscosity from the crosslinking effect for modified blends. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43703.     

The linear viscoelastic behaviors of Nylon1212 blends toughened with elastomer

The linear viscoelastic behaviors of nylon1212 blends toughened with (styrene‐[ethylene‐(ethylene‐propylene)]‐styrene block copolymer) (SEEPS) elastomer were carried out. The results show that dynamic storage modulus (G′) curves of the blends are located between those of virgin nylon and SEEPS within the frequency (ω) tested, and the G′ of blends increases with increasing of the SEEPS content. Moreover, the predictive results of Palierne emulsion model show that it is unsuitable for describing the viscoelastic behaviors of the double phase systems toughened with elastomer, especially for the system with high content of elastomer. The positive deviation in the plots of G′ vs. blend composition demonstrates that the blends are immiscible. From the point of phase transition, the phase inversion region for these blends was predicted to be in the range of 30–50 wt % of SEEPS, which agrees with the morphology analysis of nylon1212/SEEPS blends. In addition, “Cole–Cole” plots of modulus at different temperatures show that the microstructures of blends are unstable in the phase transition region. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Impact toughened blends of styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer,polyethylene, and ethylene-propylene copolymer

Impact-toughened, compatibilized binary blends of styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer/amine functionalized ethylene-propylene (amine-EP) polymer and ternary blends consisting of SMA/amine-EP/high density polyethylene (HDPE) are described. In both blends 0.02 to 4 μm range rubbery inclusions, which toughen the SMA matrix, are formed. SMA sub-inclusions exist in the amine-EP phase. In the ternary blend substantially all of the polyethylene is embedded in the EP phase. Compatibilization of the SMA and the commingled polyolefin phase is promoted by a graft copolymer formed by the reaction of amine groups on the EP with the maleic anhydride groups on the SMA. We describe the morphology, rheology, aging characteristics and impact properties of these blends. SMA modification by SMA-g-(amine-EP) polymers formed in situ in the melt, with HDPE, has not been previously reported.