Effects of rare earth samarium oxide on the properties of polypropylene‐graft‐cardanol grafted by reactive extrusion

Rare earth elements can improve the performance of polymers because of their special 4f orbitals. The nucleation and stabilization of radical groups of rare earth particles can affect the structure of polypropylene (PP) and its properties. In this study, samarium oxide (Sm₂O₃) particles were used as a cocatalyst and nucleating agent in polypropylene‐graft‐cardanol (CAPP) grafted by reactive extrusion. The properties of polypropylene‐graft‐cardanol containing modified Sm₂O₃ with a titanate coupling agent (CAPPMS) were investigated by ultraviolet–visible spectrometry, polarizing microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, universal testing, and capillary rheometry with the reference of CAPP containing unmodified Sm₂O₃ particles. The results show that the titanate coupling agent (TCA‐401) coated on the surface of the Sm₂O₃ particles improved the dispersion of the Sm₂O₃ particles and the adhesion between the Sm₂O₃ particles and CAPP matrix. The Sm₂O₃ particles promoted more cardanol to graft onto PP. Acting as nucleator for CAPP, the Sm₂O₃ particles increased the crystallization rate, increased the melting temperature, and decreased the spherulite size of CAPP. The modified Sm₂O₃ particles showed a greater effect on the mechanical and rheological properties than the unmodified Sm₂O₃ particles did. The tensile strength, impact strength and flexural strength of CAPPMS increased by 10 MPa, 0.64 kJ/m², and 6.5 MPa, respectively, compared to those of CAPP when we used 4.5 mol % modified Sm₂O₃ particles. The viscosity of CAPPMS increased to a certain extent in the presence of the modified Sm₂O₃. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41012.     

世界石油化工发展趋势

综述了当今世界石化工业的发展特点和乙烯、丙烯、聚烯烃及石油替代原料领域的技术开发状况。     

Tough and self-healing hydrophobic association hydrogels with cationic surfactant

Hydrophobic association (HA) hydrogels with outstanding mechanical, rheological and recovery properties were successfully synthesized by micellar copolymerization of acrylamide with lauryl methacrylate. The synthesis occurred at room temperature and the synthesis condition was moderate by using the redox initiator system of Ammonium persulfate - sodium bisulfite as initiators. Cationic surfactant (dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide) was utilized to form micelles with hydrophobe, served as physical cross-linking points in the 3D networks of hydrogels. The HA hydrogels showed a high tensile strength of 181 kPa, superior stretchability of 2300% and excellent toughness of 2.16 MJ m⁻³. Moreover, they owned extraordinary self-recovery under different conditions. It is hopeful that the hydrogels with superior mechanical strength and self-healing properties would be applied to the fields of biomedicine and engineering. Meanwhile, based on above materials, HA hydrogels could also be synthesized with the combination of hydrophobic association and other synergistic effects, such as latex particles, electrostatic effect and nanoparticles.     

Preparation of poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) asymmetric or microporous hollow‐fiber membranes by melt‐spun and cold‐stretch method

Poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) (PMP) hollow fibers were prepared and fabricated into gas separation or microporous membranes by the melt‐spun and cold‐stretched method. PMP resin was melt‐extruded into hollow fibers with cold air as the cooling medium. The effects of take‐up speed and thermotreatment on the mechanical behavior and morphology of the fibers were investigated. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) photos were used to reveal the geometric structure of the section and surface of the hollow fibers. It was found that the original fiber had an asymmetric structure. A “sandwich” mode was used to describe the formation of this special fine structure. And a series of PMP hollow‐fiber membranes were prepared by subsequent drawing, and it was found that there was a “skin–core” structure on the cross section of these hollow‐fiber membranes. Asymmetric or microporous PMP hollow‐fiber membranes could be obtained by controlling posttreatment conditions. The morphology of these membranes were characterized by SEM, and the gas (oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide) permeation properties of the membranes was measured. The results indicate that the annealing time of the original fiber and the stretching ratio were the key factors influencing the structure of the resulting membrane. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 2131–2141, 2006     

Preparation and investigation of ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer/silicone rubber/clay nanocomposites

In this article, the combination of silicone rubber (SR) elastomer with synthetic iron montmorillonite (Fe‐MMT) to form a kind of new flame‐retardant system based on an ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer is first reported. Also, the flame retardancy of the EVA/SR/Fe‐MMT hybrid are compared with that of EVA/SR/natural sodium montmorillonite. The structures of the nanocomposites were characterized with X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Cone calorimeter tests and thermogravimetric analysis were used to evaluate the flame‐retardant properties and thermal stability of the composites, respectively. In addition, tensile tests were carried out with a universal testing machine, and the morphology of the fracture surface was observed with environmental scanning electron microscopy. We found that SR/organophilic montmorillonite (Fe‐OMT) was more effective in reducing the primary peak heat release rate of the nanocomposite, and the EVA/SR/Fe‐OMT hybrid had a higher thermal stability in the deacetylated polymer than EVA/SR/sodium organophilic montmorillonite. Moreover, the exfoliated EVA/SR/Fe‐OMT nanocomposite displayed excellent mechanical properties because of a better dispersion of Fe‐OMT in the polymer matrix, and a possible mechanism is discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Microwave‐absorbing properties of linear low‐density polyethylene/ethylene–octene copolymer/carbonyl iron powder composites

Using linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene–octene copolymer (POE) as a polymer matrix and carbonyl iron powders (CIPs) as filler, we prepared polymer matrix composites with microwave‐absorbing properties by means of melt blending. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the samples. The absorbing properties of the composites were measured with the arch method in the range of frequency 2.0–18.0 GHz. The results indicate that the absorbing peaks moved to low frequency as the CIP content in composites increased and that there was an appropriate CIP content in LLDPE/POE/CIP composites to achieve the best absorbing effectiveness. The electromagnetic parameters of the composites were determined with the transmission/reflection method in the range 2.6–17.8 GHz. The experimental results show that there were both dielectric loss and magnetic loss in the LLDPE/POE/CIP composites. Therefore, the microwave absorption of the LLDPE/POE/CIP composites was attributed to the combining contributions of the dielectric loss and magnetic loss. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Polypropylene/linear low‐density polyethylene blends: Morphology,crystal structure,optical, and mechanical properties

The morphology, crystal structure, crystallization behavior, optical, and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) blended with metallocene linear low‐density polyethylene (mLLDPE) and Ziegler–Natta linear low‐density polyethylene (zLLDPE), with and without nucleating agents, were investigated. The correlation between the structures and optical properties was investigated. The addition of linear low‐density polyethylenes (LLDPEs), nucleating agents, and poly(ethylene‐co‐octene) (POE) had little influence on the crystal form of the iPP. The growth along the b axis was favorable in the presence of nucleating agents and LLDPEs. The LLDPEs led to much finer crystal morphologies, and the nucleating agents further prohibited spherulite formation; consequently, light scattering from the bulk crystalline structure was reduced. In all blends, biphase morphology was observed, and POE could improve the adhesion between the iPP and mLLDPE. After blending with LLDPEs, the haze and stiffness decreased, and the gloss increased. mLLDPE enhanced the toughness whereas zLLDPE had a slight influence on it. The nucleating agents decreased the haze, increased the gloss more, and ameliorated the stiffness; however, they changed the toughness little. POE increased the toughness of the blend significantly, accompanied by a much lower haze, higher gloss, and almost the same stiffness. When the concentration of 1,3 : 2,4‐bis(3,4‐dimethyl‐benzylidene sorbitol) exceeded 0.25 wt %, the optical properties and mechanical properties leveled off. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Adhesion in polypropylene/aluminum laminates made by extrusion coating

The purpose of this article is to study how processing parameters can promote adhesion in grafted polypropylene/aluminum laminates made by extrusion coating. The density of bonds created at the interface is quantified by X‐ray spectroscopy after dissolution of the polymer film. dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests are performed to characterize the mechanical properties of polymer films. They are linked with the crystalline structure, as revealed by optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. A numerical model of extrusion coating is used to quantify the impact of cooling conditions on adhesion. A good correlation is found between the temperature history, the formation of bonds, and the mechanical properties of the polymer films. High temperature conditions can improve adhesion by increasing the open time for the reaction and the rate of the chemical reaction between grafted polymer chains and aluminum. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Preparation and rheological study of pentaerythritol triacrylate grafted onto polypropylene induced by air plasma

The surface modification of isotactic polypropylene by dielectric barrier discharge of air plasma is studied. The air plasma induces melt grafting of pentaerythritol triacrylate onto polypropylene, which successfully introduces polar long-chain branching (LCB) structure into polymer bulk. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that C─O and CO oxygen-containing functional groups are formed on polypropylene surface, of which the functional groups contents can reach 24.4 and 12.0%, respectively. It is found that there is an optimum plasma treatment time of 4 min to obtain the high peroxides concentration of about 3.38–3.69 × 10⁻⁷ mol cm⁻². The highest grafting degree of this plasma method is 1.79%, which achieves the same level as the chemical grafting method. The molecular structural change of the graft-modified polypropylene, in the form of LCB is investigated by shear rheology. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 48054.