High performance LDPE/thermoplastic starch blends: a sustainable alternative to pure polyethylene

Thermoplastic starch (TPS), as opposed to dry starch, is capable of flow and hence when mixed with other synthetic polymers can behave in a manner similar to conventional polymer-polymer blends. This paper presents an approach to preparing polyethylene/thermoplastic starch blends with unique properties. A one-step combined twin-screw/single screw extrusion setup is used to carry out the melt-melt mixing of the components. Glycerol is used as the starch plasticizer and its content in the TPS is varied from 29 to 40%.Under the particular one-step processing conditions used it is possible to develop continuous TPS (highly interconnected) and co-continuous polymer/TPS blend extruded ribbon which possess a high elongation at break, modulus and strength in the machine direction. The PE/TPS (55:45) blend prepared with TPS containing 36% glycerol maintains 94% of the elongation at break and 76% of the modulus of polyethylene. At a composition level of 71:29 PE/TPS for the same glycerol content, the blend retains 96% of the elongation at break and 100% of the modulus of polyethylene. These excellent properties are achieved in the absence of any interfacial modifier and despite the high levels of immiscibility in the polar-nonpolar TPS-PE system. The 55:45 blend possesses a 100% continuous or fully interconnected TPS morphology, as measured by hydrolytic extraction. This highly continuous TPS configuration within the blend should enhance its potential for environmental biodegradation. The elongation at break in the cross direction of these materials, although lower than the machine direction properties, also demonstrates ductility at high TPS concentrations. At a glycerol content of 36% in the TPS, the blends demonstrate only very low levels of sensitivity to moisture. A high degree of transparency is maintained over the entire concentration range due to the similar refractive indices of PE and TPS and the virtual absence of interfacial microvoiding.Effective control of the glycerol content, TPS concentration and processing conditions can result in a wide variety of morphological structures including spherical, fiber-like, highly continuous and co-continuous morphologies. These various blend morphologies are shown to be the determining parameters with respect to the observed mechanical properties.This material has the added benefit of containing large quantities of a renewable resource and hence represents a more sustainable alternative to pure synthetic polymers.     

Densities and excess molar volumes of mixtures containing diesel,biodiesel and alkanols at temperatures from 288.15 to 313.15 K

The present work is focusing on the synthesization and physico-chemical properties of Jatropha curcas biodiesel with diesel and alcohols.The densities of binary diesel (2)+1-alkanols (C_3 or C_4)(3) and ternary Jatropha curcas biodiesel (1)+diesel (2)+1-alkanols (C_3or C_4)(3) blends have been reported over full range of composition at temperatures within range 288.15 to 313.15 K.Also densities of Jatropha curcas biodiesel (1)+diesel or 1-alkanols (C_3 or C_4)(2) blends have been measured at 313.15 K.Excess molar volumes,V~E,V~E_(123)of binary and ternary blends were calculated from the measured data and the derived properties were correlated to composition using Redlich–Kister equation.A reasonable agreement was found between the measured and estimated values.Further,densities and excess molar volumes data were reasoned to discuss molecular interactions taking into consideration effect of composition and temperature.     

结晶性高聚物作为相变材料的应用

本文研究了结晶性高聚物聚乙烯及其共混物作为相变材料对模拟发热体铜片热量的吸收作用，由于相变的吸热，铜片的温度在一定时间范围内保持在一个定值。选择不同的相变材料，可使这种温度平台出现在不同的温度范围，不共晶的共混物可有两个以上的温度平台，提高了降温效果。     

Dynamic mechanical and tensile properties of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)-poly(ethylene glycol) blends

Mechanical properties of miscible blends of high molecular weight poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with a short-chain, liquid poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of molecular weight 400 g/mol have been examined as a function of PVP-PEG composition and degree of hydration. The small-strain behavior in the linear elastic region has been evaluated with the dynamic mechanical analysis and compared with the viscoelastic behavior of PVP-PEG blends under large strains in the course of uniaxial drawing to fracture and under cyclic extension. A strong decoupling between the small-strain and the large strain properties of the blends has been observed, indicative of a pronounced deviation from rubber elasticity in the behavior of the blends. This deviation, also seen on tensile tests under fast drawing, is attributed to the peculiar phase behavior of the blends and the molecular mechanism of PVP-PEG interaction. Nevertheless, for the PVP blend with 36% PEG, under comparatively low extension rates, the reversible contribution to the total work of deformation up to ε=300% has been found to be maximum at around 70%, while the blends containing 31 and 41% PEG behave rather as an elastic-plastic solid and a viscoelastic liquid, respectively.     

Low-temperature properties of triglyceride-based diesel fuels: Transesterified methyl esters and petroleum middle distillate/ester blends

This work examines low-temperature properties of triglyceride-based alternate fuels for direct-injection compression-ignition engines. Methyl esters from transesterified soybean oil were studied as neat fuels and in blends with petroleum middle distillates (No. 1 or No. 2 diesel fuel). Admixed methyl esters composed of 5–30 vol% tallowate methyl esters in soyate methyl esters were also examined. Pour points, cloud points, and kinematic viscosities were measured; viscosities at cooler temperatures were studied to evaluate effects of sustained exposure. Low-temperature filterability studies were conducted in accordance with two standard methodologies. The North American standard was the low-temperature flow test (LTFT), and its European equivalent was the cold-filter plugging point (CFPP). With respect to cold-flow properties, blending methyl esters with middle distillates is limited to relatively low ester contents before the properties become preclusive. Under most conditions, cold-flow properties were not greatly affected by admixing the methyl esters with up to 30 vol% tallowate (before blending). Least squares analysis showed that both LTFT and CFPP of formulations containing at least 10 vol% methyl esters are linear functions of cloud point. In addition, statistical analysis of the LTFT data showed a strong 1:1 correlation between LTFT and CP. This result may prove crucial in efforts to improve low-temperature flow properties of alternate diesel fuels that contain methyl esters derived from triglycerides.     

Glass transition and the rigid amorphous phase in semicrystalline blends of bacterial polyhydroxybutyrate PHB with low molecular mass atactic R, S-PHB-diol

The glass transition and the crystallinity of blends of isotactic bacterial PHB and low molecular mass atactic R, S-PHB-diols was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), temperature-modulated DSC and dielectric spectroscopy. It was found that (i) T_g of crystallized blends is much lower than T_g of quenched blends, (ii) the semi-crystalline blends can only be described with a three-phase model. From the experimental results the amount of the oligomer component in the mobile amorphous as well as in the rigid amorphous phase was determined. It could be shown that the low molecular mass atactic R, S-PHB-diol is enriched in the mobile amorphous phase of the semi-crystalline blends, but 5-15% oligomer remains, however, in the rigid amorphous phase.     

The effect of end groups of PEG on the crystallization behaviors of binary crystalline polymer blends PEG/PLLA

The effect of end groups (2OH, 1OH, 1CH₃ and 2CH₃) of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the miscibility and crystallization behaviors of binary crystalline blends of PEG/poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). A single glass-transition temperature was observed in the DSC scanning trace of the blend with a weight ratio of 10/90. Besides, the equilibrium melting point of PLLA decreased with the increasing PEG. A negative Flory interaction parameter, χ₁₂, indicated that the PEG/PLLA blends were thermodynamically miscible. The spherulitic growth rate and isothermal crystallization rate of PEG or PLLA were influenced when the other component was added. This could cause by the change of glass transition temperature, T_g and equilibrium melting point, T⁰_m. The end groups of PEG influenced the miscibility and crystallization behaviors of PEG/PLLA blends. PLLA blended with PEG whose two end groups were CH₃ exhibited the greatest melting point depression, the most negative Flory interaction parameter, the least fold surface free energy, the lowest isothermal crystallization rate and spherulitic growth rate, which meant better miscibility. On the other hand, PLLA blended with PEG whose two end groups were OH exhibited the least melting point depression, the least negative Flory interaction parameter, the greatest fold surface free energy, the greatest isothermal crystallization rate and spherulitic growth rate.     

硅烷接枝交联LDPE、LLDPE及其共混物的结构研究

利用红外光谱、凝胶渗透色谱、热延伸试验、差示扫描量热法、扫描电子显微镜等方法研究了低密度聚乙烯（LDPE）、线型低密度聚乙烯（LLDPE）及其共混物的乙烯基硅烷接枝及交联产物的分子结构、熔融行为和形态。结果表明：硅烷接枝后，LDPE、LLDPE的重均摩尔质量小幅增加；硅烷接枝交联能力为：LLDPE〉LDPE／LLDPE共混物〉LDPE；接枝和交联使LDPE、LLDPE及其共混物的结晶度降低，晶粒变得不均匀；硅烷接枝和交联能增加LDPE／LLDPE共混物的相容性；交联结构提高了LDPE、LLDPE及其共混物的抗冲性。     

高聚合度PVC／TPU共混物的制备与研究

本文研究了采用高聚合度聚氯乙烯(PVC)和热塑性聚氨酯(TPU)为主体材料制备高聚合度PVC/TPU共混物的过程,讨论了高聚合度PVC/TPU并用比、填料、增塑剂、共混工艺等因素对高聚合度PVC/TPU共混物性能的影响。     

A modified model predictions and experimental results of weld-line strength in injection molded PS/PMMA blends

In this paper, the model based on melt diffusion and Flory-Huggins free energy theory for predicting the weld-line strength of injection molded amorphous polymers and polymer blends parts were modified by considering the diffusion thickness in the interface as a function of contact time. The modified model for weld-line strength prediction of homopolymers and polymer blends were, respectively, used to evaluate the weld-line strength of Polystyrene (PS) and Poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), and that of PS/PMMA blends. The model predictions show that the theoretic predictions as a function of temperature and contact time for PS, PMMA and PS/PMMA (80/20, 70/30) are in good agreements with corresponding experimental results. However, the model predictions for PS/PMMA (20/80, 30/70) blends are much higher than experimental results. The morphology in weld-line regions for PS/PMMA (20/80, 30/70) shows lack of dispersed PS phase. Near the weld-line regions, dispersed PS phase is highly oriented along the weld-line. In theoretic prediction for polymer blends, three kinds of diffusion: Polymer A-Polymer A and Polymer B-Polymer B self-diffusions and Polymer A-Polymer B mutual diffusion were considered. This is why model predictions for PS/PMMA (20/80, 30/70) blends are higher than experimental results.