Phase Self-Assembly Driven Inverse Kinetics of Mixing in Ternary Encapsulated Polymer Blends

The influence of mixing time on the evolution of phase morphologies in poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PMMA/PS/PBT) and PMMA/PS/ polycarbonate (PC) immiscible ternary blends with encapsulated dispersed phases was investigated. It was found that both systems demonstrate up to a sevenfold enlargement of the phase dimensions with mixing time, that is, display an inverse kinetics of blending. In addition, three different mixing sequences (MSs) used for preparation of the compositions resulted in pronounced differences in the domain sizes, especially, at intermediate mixing times. These differences decreased gradually with further blending. The phenomena observed are explained in terms of a transition from the nonequilibrium to equilibrium encapsulated morphologies driven by interfacial forces and phase self-assembly effects.     

Interaction of Domains in Ternary Polymer Melt Blends with Separate Dispersions of the Inner Phases

The morphology evolution in three immiscible ternary polymer systems characterized by separate dispersions of the dispersed phases (i.e., no encapsulation phenomena takes place) was characterized. The components used were three of the following: commercial atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS), crystallizable poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and isotactic polypropylene (PP) and glass microspheres (GMS). In System I PMMA/PS/PP (primary dispersed phase/matrix/secondary, or minor, dispersed phase), all of the components were liquid on blending at 190°C. In System II PP/PS/PBT and System III PP/PSyGMS, at 190°C, the minor PBT and GMS dispersed phases were nondeformable. It was shown that small portions (0.5–1.0 wt%) of the PP minor dispersed phase added to the binary PMMA/PS blend produced a dual action: (a) transition of the PMMA dispersed phase to a cocontinuous one and (b) simultaneous substantial (up to a 6-fold) growth of the degree of dispersion of the blend. Moreover, these effects were accompanied by about a three-fold reduction of the threshold PMMA concentration (C*) at which it formed its own co-continuous phase in the ternary blend compared to that in the PMMA/PS binary mixture. The observed phenomena took place regardless of whether the domains of the minor dispersed phase were liquid (System I) or solid (Systems II and III), and was strongly related to the domain sizes of this phase and blend composition. A mechanism underlying the outlined behavior is proposed.     

Rheological Characterization of in situ Compatibilized Binary Polymer Blends With Variable Steady Shear Viscosities of Components

Zero shear viscosities of binary polymer blends, η_0,bc, of polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS), in situ compatibilized by anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) catalyst, were obtained by fitting their shear rate sweep curves according to the modified Carreau model. The results showed that the dependence of η_0,bc on AlCl₃ content was complicated and obviously influenced by viscosity variations of the components as well as the interfacial compatibilization effect of the in situ formed PP-g-PS copolymer. For further investigation, η_0,bc was divided into three parts: contribution of the viscosity of components, contribution of phase geometry, and contribution of the interfacial compatibilization effect. The results showed that when the apparent value of the third part was experimentally determined, the significant influence of viscosity variations of the components had to be considered, while the influence of phase morphology geometry resulting from viscosity variations of the components could be ignored experimentally and reasonably within the whole experimental range of AlCl₃ content. The contribution of the interfacial compatibilization effect to η_0,bc could be used as the rheological parameter to characterize the interfacial character and could be used to interpret the variations of η_0,bc of the in situ compatibilized polymer blend successfully. In addition, η_0,bc is more sensitive to the shear viscosity variations of the components than the phase structure geometry evolution of the reactive blends.     

Percolation Thresholds in Ternary Polymer Melt Blends with Separate Dispersions of the Inner Phases: Mathematical Model

A mathematical model based on a straightforward geometrical background is developed which enables predictions of a transition of one dispersed phase to a cocontinuous one (i.e., the percolation threshold) on addition of another dispersed phase during melt mixing in ternary polymer blends. The present work concerns only ternary blends with two separate dispersions of the inner phases in which no encapsulation takes place. In addition, in order to simplify the model, one of the inner phases was represented by hard, nondeformable microspheres The expression developed describes well an experimental relationship between the percolation threshold, the concentration above which the former dispersed phase transforms to a continuous one, and concentrations of both inner phases. The results agree well with the experimental data obtained in a previous work.     

Influence of Mixing Technique on Microstructure and Impact Properties of Isotactic Polypropylene/ Poly(Cis-Butadiene) Rubber Blends

Isotactic polypropylene/poly(cis-butadiene) rubber (iPP/PcBR vol%: 80/20) blends were prepared by melt mixing with various mixing rotation speeds. The effect of mixing technique on microstructure and impact property of blends was studied. Phase structure of the blends was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All of the blends had a heterogeneous morphology. The spherical particles attributed to the PcBR-rich phase were uniformly dispersed in the continuous iPP matrix. With increase of the mixing rotation speed, the dispersed phase particle's diameter distribution became broader and the average diameter of the separated particles increased. The spherulitic morphology of the blends was observed by small angle light scattering (SALS). Higher mixing rotation speed led to a more imperfect spherulitic morphology and smaller spherulites. Crystalline structure of the blends was measured by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The introduction of 20 vol% PcBR induced the formation of iPPβ crystals. Higher rotation speed led to a decrease in microcrystal dimensions. However, the addition of PcBR and the increase of mixing rotation speed did not affect the interplanar distance. The long period values were the same within experimental error as PcBR was added or the mixing rotation speed quickened. The normalized relative degree of crystallinity of the blends slightly increased under lower rotation speeds (30 and 45 rpm) and decreased under higher rotation speeds. The notched Izod impact strength of the blends was enhanced as a result of the increase of mixing rotation speed.     

Confined Crystallization in Polymer Blends: DSC Studies of the Behavior and Kinetics of Isothermal Crystallization of Polypropylene in Poly(cis-butadiene) Rubber Blends

Thermal properties of polypropylene with poly(cis-butadiene) rubber (iPP/PcBR) blends have been measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the melting point T_m, crystallization temperature T_c, enthalpy Δ H (melting enthalpies and crystalline enthalpies), and equilibrium melting point T⁰ _m have been measured and calculated. The variation of T_m, T_c, Δ H and T⁰ _m with composition in the blends was discussed, showing that an interaction between phases is present in iPP/PcBR blends. The degree of supercooling characterizing the interaction between two phases in the blends and the crystallizability of the blends which bears a relationship to the composition of the blends was discussed. The kinetics of isothermal crystallization of the crystalline phase in iPP/PcBR blends was studied in terms of the Avrami equation, and the Avrami exponent n and velocity constant K were obtained. The Avrami exponent n is between 3 and 2, meaning that iPP has a thermal nucleation with two dimensional growths. The variation of the Avrami exponent n, velocity constant K, and crystallization rate G bear a relation to the composition of the blends, n increases with increasing content ofPcBR. K also increased with increasing content of PcBR. All of the K for the blends are greater than for pure iPP. The crystallization rate G (t_1/2) depends on the compositions in the blends; all G of the blends are greater than for iPP.     

Effect of Polymer-Substrate Interactions on the Surface Morphology of Polymer Blend Thin Films

Surface structures and compositions of poly(Styrene-block-Ethylene/Butylene-block-Styrene) (SEBS)/Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) blend films have been studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Substrates with different hydrophobicity and SEBS with and without Maleic Anhydride (MA) grafting were used to study the effect of polymer-substrate interactions. It is indicated that the surface energy of the substrate (substrate/air) plays a crucial role on the surface composition of the polymer component. For a fixed surface, the adsorption of polymer on the substrate is also important. The hydrophilic sites of SEBS-g-MA can prevent the dewetting of the SEBS-g-MA from the substrate. The dewetting of PMMA from the SEBS-g-MA will make the PMMA protrusions more pronounced, and the SEBS-g-MA phase domains are enlarged after annealing treatment. An adsorption scheme is suggested to explain the phase inversion and height difference observed in the various polymers used. In addition, SEBS triblock copolymers form wormlike and meshlike microphase separation morphologies on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates, respectively.     

Effects of Carbon Nanotubes on the Morphology and Properties of Uncompatibilized and Maleic Anhydride-grafted Polypropylene-compatibilized Polyamide 6/Polypropylene Blends

The effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the morphology of uncompatibilized and maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP)-compatibilized polyamide 6 (PA6)/polypropylene (PP) (70/30 w/w) blends prepared using a torque rheometer were investigated. TEM observations showed that the CNTs were selectively located in the major PA6 phase and at the interface. Such localization of nanofillers in the literature usually leads to a refinement in a sea-island morphology. Unexpectedly, our results show that increasing amounts of CNTs in the samples prepared using a torque rheometer led to a transformation from typical sea-island morphology to co-continuous morphology for uncompatibilized PA6/PP blends and to partial fibrillization of the PP domains for MAPP-compatibilized PA6/PP blends. These unusual morphological changes are attributed to a retarded morphology evolution process caused by the CNTs. According to rheological measurements and theoretical analysis, this was achieved through the role of CNTs in enhancing the viscoelasticity of the PA6 phase and promoting interfacial slip. The electrical resistivites, crystallization, and melting behavior of all samples were also studied.     

The Effect of Benzoyl Peroxide and Divinyl Benzene on the Properties of Cross-Linked Recycled Polyolefin Blends

The effect of peroxide cross-linking on the properties and morphology of recycled polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP) blends was characterized. The addition of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) decreased the melt flow rate (MFR) and increased the impact strength of the recycled polymer blends. Divinyl benzene (DVB) is often used as a cross-linking agent assistant. Compared with BPO modification, the addition of BPO together with DVB improved the cross-linking efficiency and further increased the impact strength of the recycled polymer blends. The effect of BPO content on the MFR and the mechanical properties was also studied with the DVB content fixed. However, chemical cross-linking slightly reduced the thermal stability of the polymer blends. The morphology of the modified and unmodified polymer blends showed that with the addition of BPO, with or without DVB, the compatibility of the PE/PP blends was improved, resulting in enhanced impact strength.     

Dependence of the Bose-Condensate Population Fluctuations in a Gas of Interacting Particles on the System Size: Numerical Analysis

Radiophysics and Quantum Electronics - We consider the Bose-condensate population statistics for a gas of interacting particles confined into a three-dimensional cubic trap with different boundary...     

Investigation of the Morphological and Mechanical Properties of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)/Ethylene Propylene Diene Rubber (EPDM) Blends in the Presence of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

In this study the blends of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) (1 and 3?wt %) were prepared by melt compounding in an internal mixer. Mechanical and morphological properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The thermal behaviors of the PET/EPDM nanocomposites were also investigated, by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results of the mechanical tests showed that the tensile strength, elastic modulus and the hardness of the blends were increased with increasing CNT, while the impact strength and elongation at break decreased. The DSC and TGA results showed an increase of melting temperature (T_m) and degradation temperature of the nanocomposites with the addition of the carbon nanotubes, because the carbon nanotubes serve both as nucleating agents to increase T_m and prevent the composite from degradation to increase the thermal stability. The microstructure of the composites was evaluated through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and the results showed a good distribution of the MWCNT within the polymer blend.     

Effect of Maleated Styrene/Ethylene-co-Butylene/Styrene on the Dispersed Particles Size and Mechanical Properties of Polyamide 6/Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)/Poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) Ternary Blends

In this study, the effect of several parameters, including composition, order of mixing, viscosity, and interfacial tension, on the phase structure and size of dispersed particles of polyamide 6 (PA6)/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) SAN/poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS) ternary blends was investigated. Moreover, the effect of addition of different ratios of reactive SEBS (maleic anhydride grafted-SEBS) and non-reactive SEBS at a fixed order of mixing and composition of 70/15/15 (PA6/SAN/SEBS + SEBS-g-MAH) on the mechanical properties of ternary blends was examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed that among the studied parameters, interfacial tension and viscosity of dispersed phases were the leading factors in the formation of morphology and size of dispersed droplets. Mechanical results revealed that in contrast to the expectation, formation of core/shell structure of PA6/SAN/SEBS ternary blends did not result in a significant increasing of impact strength. The highest impact strength was achieved when a 50/50 weight ratio of SEBS/SEBS-g-MAH was used.     

Effect of Polymer-Substrate Interactions on the Surface Morphology of Polymer Blend Thin Films: Comparison between Simulation and Experiment

Microphase and macrophase separation phenomena can simultaneously appear in ABA/C copolymer blend systems due to the immiscibility among monomers A, B, and C. In this work, the surface morphologies and compositions of ABA/C blend thin films confined between two walls, which were used to mimic SEBS/PMMA films, have been simulated by a lattice Monte Carlo (MC) method. The effect of the polymer-wall interaction on the surface morphologies and compositions of thin films was investigated as a function of blend composition and film thickness. It is shown that the simulated surface morphologies of thin films resulting from the macrophase separation between copolymer ABA and homopolymer C and the microphase separation between block A and block B in ABA copolymer are similar to the experimental surface morphology of SEBS/PMMA polymer blend films observed by atomic force microscope (AFM). The effect of substrate on the surface morphologies by MC simulation is qualitatively consistent with the experimental results. The composition profiles of thin films are given to characterize the micro- and macrophase separation in thin films. It is indicated that the surface energy of the substrate (substrate/air) plays a crucial role on the surface composition. For a fixed surface, the adsorptions of polymer on the substrate and film thickness are also important.     

Dependence of mechanoluminescence in rochelle-salt crystals on the charge-produced during their fracture

The dependence of mechanoluminescence in rochelle-salt crystals on the charge-produced during their fracture is found to be linear up to the applied stress of 344 kg/cm². This fact is discussed on the basis of the instability of cracks in a crystal and it is concluded that the new surfaces created by mobile cracks are responsible for the appearance of mechanoluminescence in rochelle-salt crystals.     

Study on the Mechanism of the Formation and Evolution of Phase Structure in PP/PcBR Blends

Phase dispersion theory was proposed to study the dynamic process of polymer blending with the help of mineral processing theory. Two constants, dispersion coefficient n and process coefficient b, were calculated for the early dispersion stage to describe the varying velocity of the dispersed phase dimension. In this dispersion theory, the phase dimension of binary blends of polypropylene with poly(cis‐butadiene) rubber linearly increased with blending time in the early stage on a double logarithmic scale, which suggested that phase dispersion theory was applicable to the study of polymer blending dynamics. In this study, the influence of the processing conditions, that is, composition, temperature, and shear rate, on the two constants of n and b was also studied. The results showed that n and b decreased with increasing dispersed phase, and reached a minimum when the shear rate was 60 rpm. The dispersion coefficient n first decreased with increasing temperature, reached a minimum when the temperature was 200°C, and then increased with a further increase in temperature, but there was no apparent influence of temperature on the process coefficient b. The coinfluence of blending temperature and shear rate on the dispersion coefficient n showed that the smaller the content of the dispersed phase, the more sensitive the decreasing rate of phase dimension was to the temperature and shear rate.     

The Effect of Slepton Flavor Mixing on the Mass of SM-like Higgs Boson in the MSSM

We investigate the one-loop contributions to the mass of the SM-like Higgs boson in the MSSM considering the effect of slepton flavor mixing, which is parametrized by the dimensionless parameter δXY(X, Y = L, R) in the slepton mass matrices. For the surviving samples under the experimental constraints, we calculate the corrections to the mass of the SM-like Higgs boson in terms of δXY. We find that the mass correction ?mhcan even be larger than 10 GeV for large δRLor δLR. Moreover, ?mhhas strong sensitivity to δRLor δLR, while the weak sensitivity to δLLor δRR, sinceδRLor δLRenters directly into the coupling of Higgs boson with sleptons in the calculations of Higgs boson self-energies.     

同位旋对断前粒子发射影响的角动量依赖性

对一个同量异位素链²⁰²Fr,²⁰²Po,²⁰²Tl和一个同位素链^189,202,212Po,用裂变扩散模型考察了角动量对裂变前粒子发射同位旋效应的影响.发现断前粒子发射的同位旋效应敏感地依赖于系统的自旋.高的角动量不但弱化了同位旋对粒子蒸发的影响,而且也降低了核耗散对粒子发射的影响.因此,为了更准确地用粒子多重性来提取核耗散系数,选择一个低自旋的复合系统是重要的     

The Effect of Slepton Flavor Mixing on the Mass of SM-like Higgs Boson in the MSSM

We investigate the one-loop contributions to the mass of the SM-like Higgs boson in the MSSM considering the effect of slepton flavor mixing, which is parametrized by the dimensionless parameter δ_XY (X,Y=L,R) in the slepton mass matrices. For the surviving samples under the experimental constraints, we calculate the corrections to the mass of the SM-like Higgs boson in terms of δ_XY. We find that the mass correction Δm_h can even be larger than 10 GeV for large δ_RL or δ_LR. Moreover, Δm_h has strong sensitivity to δ_RL or δ_LR, while the weak sensitivity to δ_LL or δ_RR, since δ_RL or δ_LR enters directly into the coupling of Higgs boson with sleptons in the calculations of Higgs boson self-energies.     

高压电场内细颗粒堆积机理研究

细颗粒的堆积既是电厂尾部除尘系统的核心问题,也是航天领域空间环境内限制动力或光学元件性能的关键问题。电场力因具有长程有效性和强可操作性成为控制细颗粒堆积的主要手段。本文通过微观实验研究了高压平行板电场间细颗粒堆积的机理,观察到颗粒在预极化、预荷电、变外电场电压等工况下的堆积形貌,并发展了图像处理的方法统计堆积颗粒数。研究表明,偶极力是外电场下颗粒成链的主因,而颗粒的倒伏则是来自曳力的作用,颗粒链的极限高度主要受外电场场强和颗粒堆积结构的影响。