Direct visualization of the nanoscopic three‐phase structure and stiffness of NBR/PVC blends by AFM nanomechanical mapping

The PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping based on atomic force microscope (AFM) is employed to first visualize and then quantify the elastic properties of a model nitrile rubber/poly(vinyl chloride) (NBR/PVC) blend at the nanoscale. This method allows us to consistently observe the changes in mechanical properties of each phase in polymer blends. Beyond measuring and discriminating elastic modulus and adhesion forces of each phase, we tune the AFM tips and the peak force parameters in order to reliably image samples. In view of viscoelastic difference in each phase, a three‐phase coexistence of an unmixed NBR phase, the mixed phase, and PVC microcrystallites is directly visualized in NBR/PVC blends. The nanomechanical investigation is also capable of recognizing the crosslinked rubber phase in cured rubber. The contribution of the mixed phase was quantified and it was found that the mechanical properties of blends are mainly determined by the homogeneity and stiffness of the mixed phase. This study furthers our understanding the structure–mechanical property relationship of thermoplastic elastomers, which is important for their potential design and applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 662–669     

Internal plasticization of poly(vinyl) chloride using glutamic acid as a branched linker to incorporate four plasticizers per anchor point

Internal plasticization of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) using thermal azide‐alkyne Huisgen dipolar cycloaddition between azidized PVC and electron‐poor acetylenediamides incorporating a branched glutamic acid linker resulted in incorporation of four plasticizing moieties per attachment point on the polymer chain. A systematic study incorporating either alkyl or polyethylene glycol esters provided materials with varying degrees of plasticization, with depressed T_g values ranging from ?1 °C to 62 °C. Three interesting trends were observed. First, T_g values of PVC bearing various internal plasticizers were shown to decrease with increasing chain length of the plasticizing ester. Second, branched internal plasticizers bearing triethylene glycol chains had lower T_g values compared to those with similar length long‐chain alkyl groups. Finally, thermogravimetric analysis of these internally plasticized PVC samples revealed that these branched internal plasticizers bearing alkyl chains are more thermally stable than similarity branched plasticizers bearing triethylene glycol units. These internal tetra‐plasticizers were synthesized and attached to PVC‐azide in three simple synthetic steps. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 1821–1835     

Synergistic effect of maleimido phenyl urea derivatives mixed with some commercial stabilizers on the efficiency of thermal stabilization of PVC

Four novel antimicrobial maleimido phenyl urea stabilizers 1–4 were synthesized from N-[4-(chlorocarbonyl) phenyl] maleimide with phenyl urea and its derivatives (p-methyl, o-chloro and p-carboxy). The effect of mixing maleimido phenyl urea stabilizer 2 with each of the reference stabilizers, dibasic lead carbonate (DBLC), cadmium-barium-zinc stearate (Cd-Ba-Zn stearate) or n-octyltin mercaptide (n-OTM), on the stabilization efficiency in thermal degradation of rigid PVC at 180 °C in air, has been investigated. Mixing was effected in the range of 0–100 wt% of stabilizer 2 relative to each of the reference stabilizers. The stabilizing efficiency was evaluated by measuring the length of the thermal stability period (Ts), the period during which no detectable amount of hydrogen chloride gas could be observed, and also from the rate of dehydrochlorination as measured by continuous potentiometric determination, and by the extent of discoloration of the degraded polymer samples. The results show a true synergistic effect from the combination of stabilizer 2 with any of the reference stabilizers. Mixing of the stabilizers improves the Ts values, decreases the rate of dehydrochlorination and lowers the extent of discoloration of the polymer. The maximum synergism was attained when stabilizer 2 is mixed with either of the three reference stabilizers in equivalent weight ratio (50%/50%). The observed synergism may be attributed to the different mechanisms by which the investigated and the reference stabilizers work.     

Rheology and gelation kinetics of PVC plastisols

Oscillatory rheological experiments at different temperatures and over a wide range of frequencies have been used to investigate the gelation process and, more particularly, the sol–gel transition of various poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plastisols. The sol–gel transition process was found to be universal with respect to the temperature and solid volume fraction according to the similarity of the fractal structure in PVC plastisols. The variation of the gel time (t _gel) with temperature for any composition of PVC plastisols was predicted from the Dickinson’s model (E. Dickinson, J Chem Soc Faraday Trans, 93:111–114, 1997). Dynamic viscoelastic properties of PVC plastisols have also been studied as a function of temperature that allowed us to follow the gelation process of various plastisols. Thus, the influence of the type and concentration of PVC resins in gelation process was investigated. The variation of the complex shear modulus at a constant frequency was depicted by a master curve regarding the dependence of the moduli on PVC concentrations.     

Slip flow of non-plasticized PVC compounds

Measurements on seven rigid PVC compounds were carried out with a slit rheometer working in combination with an injection moulding machine. Plastication of the compounds occurred in the screw of the plastication unit, which also forced the melt through the die with a controlled forward velocity. The rectangular slit had a length of 90 mm and a widthB of 20 mm. The heightH could be varied between 0.8 and 3.3 mm. Pressures and temperatures were recorded at several positions in and before the die. Measurements were carried out at shear rates from 10 to 2000 s^–1.When the reduced volume output was plotted against the wall shear stress _W , only four compounds showed master curves independent ofH, which is indicative of wall adhesion. In the other cases this plot did not produce such a master curve, but the plot of the mean velocity against _W was independent ofH (slip curve). This indicated that slip flow prevailed with a slip velocityv _G When, in the case of wall slip, the smooth inner surfaces of the die were replaced by surfaces with grooves perpendicular to the direction of flow, slip flow was prevented and the flow curves were shifted to much higher values of _Wc Above a critical value of the wall shear stress ( _Wc ) at which slip flow began, the output became nearly independent of _W . From the measurements made below _Wc a vs. relation for the shear flow could be derived, which was used to calculate the superimposed shear flow . Exact values of the slip velocity were then given by . Wall slip only occurred for compounds with a high shear viscosity, which corresponds to a high molecular weight (K-value).Dedicated to Professor H. Janeschitz-Kriegl on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

粉煤灰填充聚氯乙烯复合材料的摩擦学特性研究

用热压方法制备了不同粉煤灰粒度及含量的聚氯乙烯(PVC)复合材料，在MM—200型环—块摩擦磨损试验机上评价了复合材料同淬火45^#钢在干摩擦条件下对摩时的摩擦磨损性能，用扫描电子显微镜及光学显微镜观察分析磨损表面．结果表明：当粉煤灰质量分数为40％时，填充PVC复合材料的硬度最高，相应的磨损率最低，比纯PVC的磨损率低2个数量级以上；粉煤灰粒度越小，复合材料的硬度越高，耐磨性越好．     

Cobalt(II)-selective membrane electrode based on N,N′-di(thiazol-2-yl)formimidamide

A new PVC-membrane electrode for Co²⁺ ions based on N,N′-di(thiazol-2-yl)formimidamide (TF) as membrane carrier has been developed. The electrode resulted in Nernstian response (29.5?±?0.4?mV decade^?1) for Co²⁺ ion over a wide concentration range (2.5?×?10^?7 ?1.0?×?10^?1?M) with a detection limit of 6.1?×?10^?8?M. The sensor has a response time of about 10?s, and can be used for at least 2 months without observing any deviation from the Nernstain response. The electrode revealed good selectivity towards cobalt(II) ion over a wide variety of alkali, alkaline earth, transition, and heavy metal ions and could be used in the pH range 2.0–7.0. The electrode was used for determination of Co²⁺ in real samples.     

Quantitative Analysis of Holmium Ion by a Ho3+ Ion‐Selective Sensor Based on a Symmetric Thio‐Schiff's Base

A poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane sensor for holmium ions was fabricated based on N‐[(Z)‐1‐(2‐thienyl)‐ methylidene]‐N‐[4‐(4‐{[(Z)‐1‐(2‐thienyl)methylidene]amino} phenoxy)phenyl] amine (TPA) as a new ion carrier, acetophenon (AP) as plasticizing solvent mediator and sodium tetraphenyl borate (NaTPB) as an anion excluder. The electrode shows a good selectivity towards Ho³⁺ ions respect to other inorganic cations, including alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The constructed sensor displays a Nernstian behavior (19.5±0.3 mV/decade) over the concentration range of 1.0×10⁻⁶ to 1.0×10⁻² mol·L⁻¹ with the detection limit of the electrode being 4.6×10⁻⁷ mol·L⁻¹ and very short response time (ca. 5 s). It has a useful working pH range of 3.2–9.8 for at least 8 weeks. The electrode was successfully applied as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of a Ho³⁺ solution with EDTA and holmium determination in some alloys. The proposed sensor accuracy was studied by the determination of Ho³⁺ in mixtures of three different ions.     

Erbium(Ⅲ) PVC membrane sensor based on N-(benzyloxycarbonyloxy)succinimide as a new neutral ionophore

In this study,a new Er³⁺ sensor based on N-（benzyloxycarbonyloxy）succinimide（BCS） as a neutral carrier has been constructed. The sensor exhibits potential linear response with a Nernstian slope of 20.5±0.4 mV/decade in the concentration range of 1.0×10^-6to 1.0×10^-2mol/L of Er³⁺.It has a very short response time（<10 s）,detection limit of 6.3×10^-7 mol/L and a good selectivity relative to a wide variety of other metal ions including common alkali,alkaline earth,heavy,and transition metal ions.It can be used in the pH range of 2.5-10.6 without any considerable divergence in potentials.The proposed sensor was successfully applied for the recovery of Er³⁺ ions spiked in tap and river water samples.     

N~1,N~2-Bis[1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)methylidene]ethanedihydrazide as a neutral ionophore for preparation of a new Ho~(3+) PVC-membrane sensor

N¹,N²-Bis[1-（2-hydroxyphenyl）methylidene]ethanedihydrazide（MEH） was used as new compound which plays the role of an excellent ion carrier in the fabrication of a Ho（Ⅲ） membrane electrode.The electrode shows a good selectivity for Ho（Ⅲ） ion with respect to most common cations including alkali,alkaline earth,transition and heavy metal ions.This electrode has a wide linear dynamic range from 1.0×10^-6 to 1.0×10^-2 mol/L with a Nernstian slope of 19.8±0.3 mV per decade and a low detection limit of 5.8×10^-7 mol/L in the pH range of 2.5-9.8,while the response time was rapid（<10 s）.The suggested sensor was applied to the determination of Ho（Ⅲ） ions in tap water and river water samples.