On the phase behavior of blends of polymers and nematic liquid crystals

The phase behavior of mixtures of polymers and nematic liquid crystals (LC) is investigated. Two types of systems are examined. The first one deals with blends in which the polymer is made of linear chains. In this case, a systematic study of the effects of various parameters on the phase diagrams is performed. In particular, it is shown how increasing the polymer size and/or the LC molecule size increases the miscibility gap of the mixture. It also reduces the region where a single nematic phase is observed in the presence of a tiny amount of polymer. Likewise, the relative effects of the isotropic and the nematic interaction parameters on the phase diagrams are examined. The second part of this investigation deals with blends involving crosslinked polymers. Here, substantial differences are observed as compared to the case where the polymer components are made of linear chains. These differences are illustrated by showing the phase diagrams in similar conditions for both blends. Unlike the case of a linear polymer matrix, it is observed that the single nematic phase and the nematic-isotropic spinodal branches are absent from the phase diagram of crosslinked polymers. This results into significant distortions of the phase diagram. In order to highlight all these effects, examples representing hypothetical blends are considered. These examples are chosen for illustration of the results in which the choice of numerical parameters is made consistently with the existing values in the literature which makes comparison with published data possible.     

Pressure dependence of the demixing behaviour in polymer blends: I. Experimental procedure

The most common way to influence the liquid-liquid phase behaviour in partially miscible (co-)polymer blends is changing the blending temperature. Since most extruders can handle pressures, up to 300 bar, pressure may also be used to influence the miscibility of polymers during blending. We have developed equipment and an experimental procedure to study the pressure dependence of the liquid-liquid demixing behaviour of high-viscous polymer blends under equilibrium conditions. Small amounts (1–4 grams) of specially made polymers are blended in the ‘DSM MINI EXTRUDER’. After a chosen mixing time, a small portion of the blend is injected into a small capillary tube and kept at the blending temperature. The phase behaviour of the blends as a function of temperature and pressure is studied via laser light scattering (at a scattering angle of 90°) in a specially made 400 bar/250°C window autoclave, where the capillary cell is placed in a high temperature grade silicon oil.     

Modelling the influence of nanoparticles in the phase behaviour of an epoxy/polystyrene mixture

The cloud point temperatures of four series of epoxy/polystyrene blends have been experimentally determined as a function of polymer mass and system composition. The phase diagrams show an UCST behaviour, increasing incompatibility as the molar mass increases. The Flory-Huggins theory with a concentration-dependent interaction parameter has been developed to study the compatibility of two polymers in presence of spherical nanoparticles. This theory has been first compared with the experimental cloud point curve in absence of nanoparticles, and secondly it has been used to predict the thermodynamic behaviour in presence of different volume fraction of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles coated with two types of functional groups have been tested. It can be concluded that the inclusion of nanoparticles increases compatibility. Moreover concentration-dependent interaction parameters have been obtained in these systems for the first time.     

The interaction parameter of crosslinked networks and star polymers

Recent results on blends containing star polymers have revived the interest on the interaction parameters of structures that contain junctions between chains, a matter which can be connected with the earlier studies on the influence of crosslinks on the interaction parameters of polymer networks and gels. Here, we review results on crosslinked networks and star polymer solutions together with the more recent work on star polymer blends. The review covers swelling and elastic deformation of gels, differential vapour sorption between crosslinked and uncrosslinked polymers, osmotic equilibrium of gels and of star polymer solutions, and neutron scattering of polymer blends containing star polymers. In the systems reviewed, the interaction parameters of stars and networks differ from those of linear chains, and the difference is attributed mainly to entropic effects.     

Poly(butylene terephthalate)–polyarylate blends

In this paper we focus on miscible blends of two engineering polymers: poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and a polyarylate (PAr). The issue of transesterification in these blends will be addressed, followed by a discussion of the crystallization kinetics of PBT, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and several PBT/PAr blends. The ability to estimate polymer–polymer interaction parameters in blends from melting point depression will also be discussed. The amorphous phase behavior of the PBT/PAr blends has been explored primarily using dielectric spectroscopy. For blends in which PBT has crystallized, we observe two relaxations associated with T_g-like motion, and this behavior is interpreted in light of our recent work on order–disorder interphases in crystalline blends.     

固体NMR研究PAA/PEO共混物中氢键相互作用与结构演化

分子间相互作用是决定材料结构和性能的关键因素之一,而如何在分子水上实现对复杂相互作用分子的检测仍然是一个挑战性课题。本工作首先在不同p H值条下以聚丙烯酸/聚环氧乙烷(PAA/PEO)的混合水溶液制备了系列的固体薄膜,然后采用多种基于连续相调制多脉冲技术的一维和二维~1H多脉冲去耦(CRAMPS)固体NMR新技术,并结合高分辨~(13)C交叉极化魔角旋转(CPMAS)、~(23)Na多量子(MQ)等多核固体NMR实验,对PAA/PEO聚合物共混物的微观结构和动力学进行了原位和系统的研究。通过不同类型的~1H高分辨CRAMPS实验检测到共混物中包含多种不同类型质子:通过氢键相互作用形成二聚体的COOH基团、自由COOH基团、与水结合的COOH基团和主链基团。随着p H值的升高,除主链质子外,大部分其它区域的信号都明显降低,这是由于PAA与PEO以及水的氢键作用减弱所致。这些CRAMPS NMR技术也被用来阐明不同p H值制备的样品中不同基团的分子运动性。此外,二维~1H-~1H自旋交换NMR实验提供了关于聚合物PAA与PEO大分子链间、以及水与聚合物的相互作用。~1H自旋扩散实验表明,在这些共混物中明显存在相微观相分离的结构,并且测定的分散相区尺寸约为17 nm。~(23)Na MQMAS实验揭示了在共混物中存在两种类型~(23)Na位,一种是自由的钠离子,另一种是与大分子相互作用的Na离子。特别是通过~1H-检测的~(23)Na-~1H CPMAS实验揭示了Na~+离子的位置远离PEO而与PAA临近。上述这些SSNMR实验结果在分子水平上提供了氢键相互作用对PAA/PEO共混物微观结构和动力学影响的详细信息,可以获得不同p H值对PAA与PEO的氢键作用、相容性、微观结构、水-聚合物相互作用和不同组分分子运动性的影响。在上述核磁共振研究的基础上,我们提出了一种新的PAA/PEO共混物的结构模型,该模型首次成功地揭示了不同的p H值对PAA/PEO共混物中微观结构和动力学的影响。本工作清楚地表明,固态核磁共振是在分子水平上研究具有复杂相互作用的多相聚合物材料的有力工具。本文的研究工作对于探索检测聚合物弱相互作用的新方法和发展基于氢键相互作用的聚合物新材料的开发具有重要意义。     

聚合物二元共混物拉伸强度混合规则的改进模型

改进了关于聚合物二元共混物拉伸强度混合规则的模型 ,保留了原模型中分别表征共混物界面和相结构对共混物拉伸强度产生影响的两个因子F和M .用此模型处理了三个共混体系的拉伸强度数据 ,反算出共混体系的界面强度因子F和相结构强度因子M ,结果表明 ,该改进模型的预测值与实验结果相符程度与原式几无差别 ,但使F和M的物理意义更为明确、合理 ,其相关系数也有所增大     

Stability analysis and scattering properties of charged crosslinked blends in solution

The phase behavior and scattering properties of crosslinked charged polymer blends in solution are examined. De Gennes' analogy between the effects of crosslinks in a network and electrostatic charges in a dielectric medium on the scattering properties and the phase behavior of crosslinked polymer blends is used. This analogy is extended to include the effects of screening in order to improve its agreement with the experimental data in the small q range. The excluded volume interactions are explicitely introduced through the blob model. The enhancement of compatibility of the mixture and the increase of its rigidity constant are evaluated in certain cases. The limit of neutral polymers is discussed because it corresponds to the case of charged mixtures in the presence of excess salt. The kinetics of the microphase separation transition is briefly discussed. A dynamical model including the long range hydrodynamic interaction is presented. The relaxation frequency of the stable modes and the growth rate of unstable ones are also considered.     

Effects of hydroxyvalerate contents in thermal degradation kinetic of cellulose acetate propionate/poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) blends

Thermal stability of polymers is an important parameter that determines the application as well as the processing conditions. The green polymers have shown low thermal stability, such as the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The PHAs with different comonomers containing hydroxyvalerate (HV) were studied. It was seen that the green polymer showed a fast thermal degradation process. The addition of the HV comonomer modified this profile and the thermal degradation kinetic. The blend prepared between the PHAs and other polymers can modify the thermal degradation process of the green polymers. In the present study, blends of cellulose acetate propionate and PHAs were prepared, and the thermal degradation kinetics of these blends were evaluated. It was observed that the cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) phase in the blends modified the thermal degradation process and kinetic profile of the PHA phase. In the blends, the thermal stability of the PHAs was slightly modified because of CAP reducing the reactivity of the PHAs. On the other hand, the thermal stability of the CAP phase in the blends is not largely modified by the PHA phase. However, the hydroxyvalerate comonomer decreases the reactivity of the CAP phase at the start of thermal degradation of the same. The interaction between the phases promotes the synergetic interaction, which slightly improves the thermal stability of the two polymers blends.     

Characterisation and morphology of biodegradable chitosan / synthetic polymer blends

Chitosan has been used to form miscible, biodegradable blends with hydrophilic synthetic polymers as PVA and PEO. Characterisation of the blends by DSC, IR and microscopy analysis was made giving much attention to possible interactions of molecular polar group in the polymer chains. PVA/chitosan are found to be amorphous in the whole range of composition having one glass transition temperature. Molecular interactions in the pair of polymers are connected with amide group of chitosan and hydroxyl groups of PVA. PEO/chitosan blends stay amorphous up to 0.2 weight fraction of PEO. For a higher amount of PEO that polymer crystallises forming a spherulite crystalline structure. We correlate the overall kinetics of crystallisation and melting behaviour of solid, semicrystalline blends PEO/chitosan in the form of thin films for a set of PEO species of different blend composition with a morphological structure of the blends. Negative values of the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter due to specific interactions by hydrogen bonding through ether group of PEO and hydroxyl group of chitosan were evaluated. Amide groups do not participate in the molecular interaction between PEO and chitosan molecules. Avrami equation was applied to describe kinetics of crystallisation of pure PEO and PEO/chitosan blends of various compositions.     

Static structure factor and chain dimensions in polymer blends with non-local mixing entropy

It is suggested that the non-locality of the entropy part of the interaction parameter in partially miscible blends can be measured directly by scattering experiments. The structure factor computed in the random phase approximation is compared with experiments on weakly crosslinked polystyrene (PS) polyvinylmethylether (PVME) blends. These polymers have significantly different monomer units to form ‘smooth’ (PVME) and ‘rough’ (PS) polymers. An excess scattering is observed and related to the non-locality. It is further shown that these effects are significant near the glass transition of the blend. In particular, the influence of the non-local mixing entropy on the single chain behaviour close to the onset of the microphase separation is studied quantitatively.     

A model for transition to the mesomorphic state in poly(methyl methacrylate)

The structural instability of a polymer crystal may be due to the involvement of various lattice vibrations in nonlinear resonance. The condition of this involvement is the prevalence of intramode anharmonicity over intermode interaction. A model of phase transitions in polymers of the PMMA type was constructed. Below transition points, coherent states of orientational vibrations of heavy side pendants are formed. The thermodynamic characteristics of these states were found. The structural instability of the polymer lattice is a second-order phase transition.     

Phase Behavior of Polymer Blends

The present report deals with some results on phase behavior, miscibility and phase separation for several polymer blends casting from solutions. These blends are grouped as the amorphous polymer blends, blends containing a crystalline polymer or two crystalline polymers. The blends of PMMA/PVAc were miscible and underwent phase separation at elevated temperature, exhibited LCST behavior. The benzoylated PPO has both UCST and LCST nature. For the systems composed of crystalline polymer poly(ethylene oxide) and amorphous polyurethane, of two crystalline polymers poly(-caprolactone) and poly[3,3,-bis-(chloromethyl) oxetane], appear a single T_g, indicating these blends are miscible. The interaction parameter B's were determined to be –14 J cm^–3, –15 J cm^–3 respectively. Phase separation of phenolphthalein poly(ether ether sulfone)/PEO blends were discussed in terms of thermal properties, such as their melting and crystallization behavior.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Neutron scattering studies of the structure of amorphous and crystalline polymers and of polymer blends

The technique of neutron scattering for studying both the structure and dynamics of polymer systems is now well established. In the case of amorphous flexible polymers in most cases the bulk chain dimensions agree rather well with those of the unperturbed coil. Some newer results concerning for example side-chain liquid-crystal polymers and segmented polyurethane elastomers are described. Neutron small-angle scattering can also be used for the investigation of the molecular deformation mechanism during the drawing process of polymers. In the case of semicrystalline polymers the way in which a single macromolecule traverses the crystalline and amorphous phases can also be evaluated by neutron scattering. A method has been proposed for the evaluation of the neutron scattering data without introducing detailed structural models. The only assumption made is that the molecular structure can be described as consisting of “clusters” of crystalline stems which belong to the same molecule. It is shown that this cluster model can be verified experimentally for the cases of poly(ethylene oxide), polypropylene and polyethylene. The structure factor S(q) in compatible polymer blends is usually treated by the random phase approximation according to de Gennes. The temperature dependence of S(q) displayed by some systems, however, appears to be anomalous within this approximation. A new method is presented for evaluating the neutron scattering data which takes into account that the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter χ is not a point-function χδ(τ), but can be interpreted in terms of a structure model χ(τ) which consists of spatially separated positive and negative contributions within a 1–10 å range. Finally the application of neutron scattering to diblock copolymers is discussed and it is shown that the results for the case of polystyrene-poly (p-methylstyrene) are in good agreement with the theoretically expected behaviour.     

Blends from redox active liquid crystal ionomers and amorphous ionomers

Abstract

Biphasic blends (mixtures) of liquid crystal ionomers (prepared from ferrocene containing liquid crystal polymers by a redox reaction) and partially sulfonated polystyrene combine the constituent properties in a way, which is dependent on the measuring method. Polarizing microscopy shows homogenous textures similar to the pure liquid crystal polymer. Mechanical measurements show however the elastomeric behaviour of sulfonated polystyrene. The phase separated structure of these blends is proved by differential scanning calorimetry measurements.     

Miscible blends prepared from two crystalline polymers

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to determine the miscibility behavior of several polyester/Saran blends, the two polymers forming these blends being semicrystalline. It was found that Saran is miscible with polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvalerolactone, poly(butylene adipate), and poly(hexamethylene sebacate) since a single glass transition temperature T_g was observed at each composition. However, immiscibility was found between Saran and poly(ethylene adipate), poly-(ethylene succinate), poly(β-propiolactone), and poly(α-methyl-α-n-propyl-β-propiolactone) since two T_g's were recorded at several compositions. Blends were then obtained containing, over a wide range of composition, a miscible amorphous phase and two different types of crystals. From melting-point depression data on PCL and Saran crystals, thermodynamic interaction parameters χ were calculated and found to be different for PCL-rich blends and for Saran-rich blends. This result suggests a variation of χ with composition. Saran is a polymer which does not contain α-hydrogens and its miscibility with polyesters may result from a β-hydrogen bonding interaction or a C?O/C? Cl dipole-dipole interaction.     

Thermodynamic study of poly(vinyl chloride)/polyester blends by inverse-phase gas chromatography at 120°C

Polymer/polymer interaction parameters χ′₂₃ have been measured at 120°C as a function of polymer concentration for six different poly(vinyl chloride)/linear aliphatic polyester blends. The technique used is inverse-phase gas chromatography with several molecular probes. The polymers investigated are poly(DL-lactide), poly(ethylene succinate), poly(ethylene adipate), poly(butylene adipate), poly(δ-valerolactone), poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(hexamethylene sebacate). Probe/polymer interaction parameters χ₁₂ and polymer/polymer interaction parameters χ′₂₃ values are dependent upon the methylene to carbonyl ratio of the polyester, reaching a minimum for a value of 5, this ratio corresponding to poly(ε-caprolactone) blends. Results are interpreted in terms of pairwise interactions between carbonyl, methylene, and [CHCl] groups.     

Miscibility and phase separation in polymer blends studied by laser light scattering

In this paper major emphasis has been placed on the phase behavior of miscible polymer blends, especially on blends containing random copolymers. Blends containing random copolymers generally tend to phase separation at elevated temperatures (LCST behavior). Experimental determination of miscibility areas as a function of temperature and copolymer composition by laser light scattering provides the interaction parameters necessary for theoretical explanations and predictions of various phase separation phenomena. Just above the LCST polymer blends exhibit regular highly interconnected two-phase morphologies. The rate of decay of these structures is estimated. The phase separation kinetics can be pursued by laser light scattering and is discussed in terms of CAHN's linearized theory. It can be shown that the linear theory adequately describes the early stage of phase decomposition. The linear theory is also applicable to the reverse phenomenon, the phase dissolution below LCST. unlike the case of phase separation the diffusion-controlled regime is that in the late stage of phase dissolution.     

Miscibility and enzymatic degradation studies of poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(propylene succinate) blends

In the present study the miscibility behaviour and the biodegradability of poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(propylene succinate) (PCL/PPSu) blends were investigated. Both of these aliphatic polyesters were laboratory synthesized. For the polymer characterization DSC, ¹H NMR, WAXD and molecular weight measurements were performed. Blends of the polymers with compositions 90/10, 80/20, 70/30 and 60/40 w/w were prepared by solution-casting. DSC analysis of the prepared blends indicated only a very limited miscibility in the melt phase since the polymer-polymer interaction parameter χ₁₂ was −0.11. In the case of crystallized specimens two distinct phases existed in all studied compositions as it was found by SEM micrographs and the particle size distribution of PPSu dispersed phase increased with increasing PPSu content. Enzymatic hydrolysis for several days of the prepared blends was performed using Rhizopus delemar lipase at pH 7.2 and 30 °C. SEM micrographs of thin film surfaces revealed that hydrolysis affected mainly the PPSu polymer as well as the amorphous phase of PCL. For all polymer blends an increase of the melting temperatures and the heat of fusions was recorded after the hydrolysis. The biodegradation rates as expressed in terms of weight loss were faster for the blends with higher PPSu content. Finally, a simple theoretical kinetic model was developed to describe the enzymatic hydrolysis of the blends and the Michaelis-Menten parameters were estimated.     

Conductive polymer blends: preparation,properties and applications

This article presents a brief review concerning the production of conductive polymer blends and composites which combine conducting and insulating polymers. Different strategies for preparing these mixtures are examined, with emphasis on several properties of the final mixtures, such as: electronic conductivity, mechanical behaviour and thermal stability. The advantages of using blends in some technological applications instead of pure conducting polymers are discussed.