Dynamic aspects of phase decomposition in reactive blends of polycarbonate and syndiotactic polymethyl methacrylate

Dynamics of phase separation in bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC)/syndiotactic polymethyl methacrylate (sPMMA) blends has been investigated by means of time-resolved light scattering. Solvent-cast films of the PC/sPMMA blends were transparent, suggestive of miscible character. Several temperature jumps were carried out at a 50/50 PC/sPMMA composition from a homogeneous state (room temperature) into a two-phase regime. The process of phase separation first occurred for some considerable period, then it was followed by phase dissolution driven by chemical reaction. The thermodegradative reaction of sPMMA triggered the dissolution process by probably forming PC/sPMMA graft or random copolymers at the interface, which eventually resulted in a single phase. However, annealing at elevated temperatures for an extended period could lead to cross-linking, and thus a two-phase structure could be fixed permanently. The early stage of spinodal decomposition was interpreted in terms of the linearized Cahn-Hilliard theory. In the late stages of spinodal decomposition, the relationship between scattering peak wavenumber and time was found to obey a power law, but the exponents showed a strong dependence on temperature jumps. The temporal universal scaling failed due to the influence of the chemical reaction. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

sPS/PET/SsPS-H共混体系的研究

以自制间规聚苯乙烯(sPS)功能化合成的磺化间规聚苯乙烯（SsPS-H)作相容剂,研究其对sPS/PET共混物微相结构与性能的影响,发现SsPS-H能够有效地改善二者的相容性,当sPS/PET/SsPS-H为85／15／2（重量比）时,冲击强度达到11．4kJ/m^2,为纯sPS的3倍,此时材料的弯曲强度为39．1MPa,下降约8％;DMA结果表明,随SsPS-H用量的增加,共混物的Tg逐渐提高;DSC分析结果表明,共混体系中sPS的熔点不受SsPS-H含量的影响,而PET的熔点在加入6份SpPS-H时明显降低。sPS在达到最大结晶速率的温度均随SsPS-H用量的增加先提而后下降。SEM观察到加入SsPS-H后,PET分散相的尺寸减小,且均匀程度增加,共混物室温下冲击断裂显著地由脆性转变为韧性,当加入6份SsPS-H后,冲击断裂又出现脆性。     

Polymorphic crystal forms and morphology of syndiotactic polystyrene in miscible states

X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy characterization were performed to evaluate the phenomenon of alteration of polymorphism of syndiotactic polystyrene (s-PS) in the presence of other blending miscible polymers: poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) or atactic polystyrene (a-PS). Both α and β crystal forms were observed in the neat s-PS sample, but only β-form crystal was found in miscible blends of s-PS with a-PS or PPO. The order and neighboring chain segments of neat s-PS are different from those of s-PS/PPO or s-PS/a-PS blends; thus, it is plausible that the greater randomness in the melt state of s-PS/a-PS or s-PS/PPO blends might be unfavorable for formation of α-form crystals from melts. The final spherulitic morphology the s-PS/a-PS or s-PS/PPO blends suggests that the amorphous-state miscibility of does not change much the spherulitic structure of s-PS. The radial growth rate is, in general, depressed with the presence of blending miscible polymers in s-PS of equal T_g or PPO of higher T_g. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2725–2735, 1998     

Thermal diffusivity study of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends by flash radiometry

This article presents thermal diffusivity (D) measurements by flash radiometry for the polymer blend of polystyrene (PS) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase diagram. Dependence of D on PS content measured at 100°C coincides a phase diagram determined by a cloud point measurement. D value for the blend decreases with increasing PS content and has minimum value at the PS content around 20 wt % from which D increases again with increasing PS content. If the concentration fluctuation between two components in the miscible states at the temperature close to LCST causes the remarkable phonon scattering, the composition dependence of D would resemble the phase diagram. D for the sample in the phase-separated state is larger than that for the miscible state. The larger D in the phase-separated sample would be due to the decrease of the total surface area microscopically contacted to the counter component in the phase-separated state. Dependence of D on temperature for the phase-separated sample is quite different from that of the miscible one. On an isothermal measurement of D for PS/PVME (10 : 90) at 110°C just below the cloud point, D started to increase at time above 100 min and leveled out above 250 min. Isothermal observation of sample film by a differential interference contrast microscopy showed the creation of some structure due to the nucleation and growth of interface at 225 min and it became obvious above 250 min. Thus, the increase in D at 110°C implies that D can sensitively reflect the change in microscopic structures which follows the nucleation and growth of interface. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 1869–1876, 1997     

Study of bundle formation during crystallization in polymer blends

The development of texture which exists in polymer spherulites grown from single phase melts containing an appreciable amount of noncrystallizable material was investigated. This texture generally consists of lamellar bundles separated by amorphous regions, both of which are typically 0.1–1 μm thick. A space–time finite element model previously developed by us was used to simulate the growth of a group of polymer lamellae. The model determines the impurity concentration field in the melt surrounding the growing lamellae and tracks the growth of each lamella. Important variables are the initial melt concentration of noncrystallizable material, the mass diffusion coefficient of noncrystallizable species, lamellar thickness, long period, and the rate of molecular attachment at the growth front. Under certain conditions, bundles did indeed develop during the simulations. These results were used to predict bundle thicknesses. The predictions of bundle texture were compared to actual textures observed in blends of syndiotactic and atactic polystyrene. It was found both experimentally and numerically that bundle thickness was a strong function of crystallization temperature and a relatively weak function of both the initial composition of noncrystallizable species and the degree of crystallinity of the lamellar stack. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 873–888, 1998     

The in situ reactive compatibilization of nylon-6/polystyrene blends using anhydride functionalized polystyrenes

Nylon-6/polystyrene (PS) blends were reactively compatibilized by addition of various anhydride functionalized polystyrenes. The morphology of the blends was examined using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The particle size of the dispersed styrenic phase was about 3.2 μm for the uncompatibilized 8/2 Nylon-6/PS blend while those of the compatibilized blends were decreased by as much as two orders of magnitude depending on the amount and type of the functionalized polystyrene (FPS) added. Several low-molecular weight polystyrenes with terminal anhydride groups, prepared by two different functionalization methods, were examined. The effect of molecular weight on particle size reduction depended on the basis of comparison, mass of additive, or moles of anhydride units. A high-molecular weight random copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride was most effective when compared on a mass basis. The increase in adhesion between the Nylon-6 and the styrenic phases caused by the in situ reaction was evaluated by a lap shear technique. The free polystyrene, Nylon-6, and Nylon-FPS copolymer formed were separated by solvent extraction technique using formic acid and toluene. The extent of coupling reaction between the functionalized polystyrenes and Nylon-6 ranged from 25 to 43%. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

间规聚苯乙烯/尼龙6/磺化间规聚苯乙烯/蒙脱土纳米复合材料的研究

以磺化间规聚苯乙烯（SsPS)为增容剂,将间规聚苯乙烯（sPS)和尼龙6／改性蒙脱土纳米复合物（PA6－MTA）共混,得到综合性能优良的新型多组分聚合物／蒙脱土纳米复合材料（sPS/PA6/SsPS/MTA)。用DSC、DMA、WAXD及力学性能测试仪研究了纳米复合材料的结构与性能。TEM测定证明了蒙脱土在基体中的层厚分布为10－50nm。     

Blends of an epoxy thermosetting polymer with aromatic liquid-crystalline polyesters

A series of aromatic liquid-crystalline polyesters with different composition have been synthesized to adjust transition temperatures and molecular weight. Miscibility of polyesters with bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether (DEGBA), 4,4′-methylene-bis(3-chloro-2,6-dimethylaniline) (MCDEA) and the influence on transition temperatures has been studied. Miscibility of binary and ternary mixtures was found over the whole range of composition depending on the temperature. Thermoset formation by curing of LC-polyester / DEGBA / MCDEA mixtures containing different amounts of polyester resulted in reaction-induced phase separation with polyester content from 30 to 50 wt.%. Cloud point techniques, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) have been applied.     

sPS/PA6/SsPS-Zn塑料合金的研究

研究了磺化间规聚苯乙烯磺酸锌盐（SsPS-Zn)的增容作用以及sPS/PA6/SsPS-Zn三组分塑料合金的力学、热学性能和微观形态结构。结果表明：SsPS-Zn的加入明显地改善了sPS/PA6二组分合金的力学性能,在sPS/PA6/SsPS-Zn重量组成为80／20／5时,合金冲击强度最大,为14．2kJ/m^2。DMA和SEM结果表明,SsPS-Zn在合金中起到了降低微相尺寸和加强相间界面粘结的作用,可显著提高sPS和PA6两组分间的相容性,FTIR研究表明SsPS-Zn的磺酸锌基团和PA6的酰胺基之间存在相互作用。