Simulations on the reinforcement of poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomers by randomly distributed filler particles

Monte Carlo computer simulations were carried out on filled networks of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), which were modeled as composites of crosslinked chains and randomly arranged spherical filler particles. The primary concern of the investigation was the effect of the excluded volume of these particles on the elastomeric properties of the polymers. Calculations were carried out for PDMS chains with different molecular masses between crosslinks, and for filler particles with different sizes and at various volume percentages. Distributions of end-to-end vectors for both unfilled and filled networks were obtained using Monte Carlo simulations based on rotational isomeric state (RIS) theory. More extended configurations, with a higher end-to-end distance, were observed for networks filled with smaller particles. The nominal stress f* and the modulus or reduced nominal stress [f*] were calculated from the distributions of end-to-end vectors using the Mark-Curro approach. Relatively small filler particles were found to increase the non-Gaussian behavior and to increase the normalized moduli above the reference value of unity. Temperature effects on the stress were also investigated. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

含有双发色团的化合物分子内能量传递的研究

合成了一系列含有萘环和蒽环的不同链长的二元化合物, 简写为N-Mn-A(n=2,4,6,8,10)。在有机溶剂中做了上述系列化合物的荧光光谱。激发波长为λex=280nm时, 发现荧光光谱中有两个发射峰, λem1=370nm, λem2=450nm。前者为萘的荧光峰, 后者为蒽的荧光峰。实验证明, 只有萘吸收280nm的光, 而蒽无吸收。所以在激发萘的条件下, 能量由处于激发态的萘环传向了外于基态的蒽环。在不同的有机溶剂中, 分别做了该系列化合物的荧光光谱随浓度的变化。实验结果指出, 两个荧光峰强度的比值不随浓度的变化而变化, 表明其能量传递为分子内的能量传递。另外在1%的糖淀粉水溶液中, N-Mn-A的浓度为1.0×10^-^5mol.dm^-^3,通过荧光光谱发现没有发生能量传递。表明处于伸展状态的N-Mn-A化合物分子不能发生能量传递。     

The role of molecular diffusion in the adhesion of elastomers

Butyl rubber (polyisobutylene-co-isoprene) mixed with polyisobutylene was crosslinked to yield elastomeric macromolecular networks containing dissolved linear macromolecules. Adhesion of these materials to themselves (self-adhesion) and to an inert substrate was investigated over a wide range of peel rates and test temperatures. Greatly enhanced self-adhesion was found when linear polyisobutylene molecules of high molecular weight were present, but the strength of adhesion to a rigid inert substrate was hardly affected. The enhancement of self-adhesion is attributed to interdiffusion of polyisobutylene molecules. It was greatest at intermediate peel rates and temperatures, becoming insignificant at extremely low rates, probably because the diffusing species can then migrate readily, and at high effective rates of peel when the polymer approaches the glassy state and the strength of adhesion is high in all cases. A transition to somewhat lower levels of adhesion at relatively high rates of peel is tentatively ascribed to the onset of molecular fracture in place of pullout. The presence of large amounts of low-molecular-weight polyisobutylene (M?_v = 50,000 g/mol) increased the level of self-adhesion and of adhesion to an inert substrate to a similar degree, over a broad range of peel rates. This effect is attributed primarily to enhanced viscous losses in the elastomeric layer during separation. Application of these results to crack and weld-line healing in glassy plastics is discussed.     

Ozonation of hydrocarbon diene elastomers: A mechanistic study

A study of the effects of ozonation on polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and several related hydrocarbon elastomers has shown that elastomers containing di-substituted double bonds (e.g., cis-1,4-polybutadiene) give crosslinked products as well as chain scission products in nonpolar solvents, whereas those containing tri-substituted double bonds (e.g., cis-1,4-polyisoprene) give chain scission products only. Both types of elastomer, however, give only chain scission products in polar solvents. Further investigation of the ozonation of elastomers, including the effect of ozonides of monoolefins and the solvent effect has led us to postulate that the chain scission involves the attack of a second ozone molecule on the preformed ozonide, and, the crosslinking is due to the attack of the biradical carbonyl oxide on the rubber.     

Mechanical manipulation of molecular lattice parameters in smectic elastomers

Smectic liquid crystalline elastomers (SLCE) represent unique materials that combine a 1-D molecular lattice arrangement and orientational order with rubber-elasticity mediated by a polymer network. Such materials may exhibit large thermo-mechanical, opto-mechanical and electro-mechanical effects, due to the coupling of macroscopic sample geometry and microscopic structural features. It is shown that the molecular layer dimensions in the smectic phases can be influenced reversibly by macroscopic strain of the material. We present a microscopic model on the basis of experimental results obtained by mechanical dilatation measurements, optical interferometry, X-ray scattering, (13)C NMR, FTIR and polarizing microscopy data. The model gives an explanation of the controversial results obtained in different types of smectic elastomers.     

Influence of fillers on the thermal stability of elastomers. Thermogravimetric study

The thermal degradation of hydrocarbon elastomers and polychloroprene in the presence of silica, clay, precipitated calcium carbonate and carbon black has been studied using dynamic thermogravimetry. The influence of fillers on degradation parameters of elastomers and activation energy was discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels DTG wurde der thermische Abbau von Kohlenwasserstoffelastomeren und Polychloropren in Gegenwart von Siliziumdioxid, Tonerde, gefälltem Calciumcarbonat und Ruß untersucht. Weiterhin wurde der Einfluß der Streckmittel auf den Abbau der Elastomere und auf die Aktivierungsenergie besprochen.

     

Lattice vibrations of polymethylene crystal

The energy levels of the lattice vibrations of orthorhombic polymethylene crystal was calculated quantum-mechanically. The rotational modes were treated in the same manner as employed for the internal-rotation problem. For the translational modes the energy levels were obtained from perturbation calculations. The results clearly indicated that the anharmonicities have significant effects on the lattice modes, the A_g rotational mode in particular.     

The role of molecular diffusion in the adhesion of EPDM and EPR elastomers

Adhesion of lightly crosslinked sheets of EPDM (ethylene–propylene–diene terpolymer) to themselves and to a Mylar substrate has been investigated over wide ranges of peel rate and test temperature. The effect of incorporating ethylene–propylene copolymer (EPR) before crosslinking, to yield a loose macromolecular network containing dissolved linear EPR macromolecules, was also studied. The self-adhesion of these materials was found to be much greater than their adhesion to Mylar, over a wide range of effective peel rates. This is attributed to interdiffusion of EPR and EPDM molecular strands. At extremely low peel rates the enhancement of adhesion was smaller, probably because of back-diffusion, and at high rates, the strength of adhesion became high in all cases. These results are compared to those obtained previously for polyisobutylene-co- isoprene networks containing linear polyisobutylene molecules. The enhancement of self-adhesion at intermediate rates of peel was considerably greater for the EPDM-based materials, probably because of a lower degree of crosslinking and a greater tendency to form molecular entanglements.     

A polypyrrole/polymethylene pattern on gold using a micro-contact printing technique

A micro-contact printing technique was used to fabricate a polypyrrole/polymethylene pattern on a gold surface. ω-(N-Pyrroyl)undecanethiol (PyC₁₁SH) acts as ink for the generation of a pyrrole-terminal monolayer patterned on gold. This monolayer-patterned surface functions as a resist for the selective growth of polymethylene by catalytic decomposition of diazomethane on the gold surface. It also functions as a monomer for the electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole on the PyC₁₁SH monolayer-patterned surface. The polypyrrole/polymethylene pattern was fabricated by an electrochemical polymerization method. The polypyrrole was grown on the pyrrole-patterned surface by potential scanning between 0.0 and 1.2 V vs. Ag wire. The thickness of the polypyrrole growth increases with the increasing number of cycles. The structural features of the patterned surface can be determined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Electronic Publication     

A study on the anisole-water complex by molecular beam-electronic spectroscopy and molecular mechanics calculations

An experimental and theoretical study is made on the anisole-water complex. It is the first van der Waals complex studied by high resolution electronic spectroscopy in which the water is seen acting as an acid. Vibronically and rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy experiments and molecular mechanics calculations are used to elucidate the structure of the complex in the ground and first electronic excited state. Some internal dynamics in the system is revealed by high resolution spectroscopy.     

Photo-oxidation of elastomers. A fundamental approach based on the study of a series of photo-sensitive elastomeric systems: A review

The photo-oxidation and crosslinking of increasingly complex photo-sensitized elastomers were quantitatively investigated. An ethylene-propenebutadiene terpolymer (EPDM), selected as an elastomeric medium exhibiting reactive unsaturated side chains, was photo-sensitized with various chromophoric groups: grafted phenyl groups (systems I and II), different carbonyl functions (systems III and IV), blended photo-initiators dimethoxyphenylacetophenone (DMPA) (system V) and benzophenone (BP) (system VI). Knowledge of the behaviour of these model systems proves necessary to the understanding of the predominant processes involved in the photo-oxidation of ethylene-propene rubber (EPR or EPM) blended with DMPA (system VII) or BP (system VIII) and of a random styrene-butadiene (SBR) copolymer (system IX).     

Magnetic field dependent biradical CIDNP as a tool for the study of conformations of polymethylene chains

A theory is presented for the interpretation of the magnetic field dependence of CIDNP from polymethylene biradicals. It is shown that the field dependence curves give information about the conformational behaviour of biradicals.     

Elastic behavior of non-Gaussian polymethylene chains

In this paper, elastic behaviors of non-Gaussian polymethylene (PM) chains with chain length N=100 are investigated by rotational isomeric state model. Here the tetrahedral lattice of PM chain and the non-local interaction of Sutherland potential are adopted. In the metropolis movement of PM chain, a four-bond movement model is used. The average energy and average Helmholtz free energy with various elongation ratios λ are calculated by Monte Carlo simulation method. The average energy increases with elongation ratio λ and the average Helmholtz free energy decreases with elongation ratio λ. The elastic force f and the energy contribution to elastic force f_u can be obtained from f=∂〈A〉/∂r and f=∂〈U〉/∂r. We find that the elastic force f increases with elongation ratio λ and the energy contribution f_u decreases with elongation ratio λ, and f_u is less than zero. The ratio f_u/f is close to −0.21 for λ?1.25, and −0.04 to −0.35 for λ>1.25 at T=364 K. In our calculation, the rubber elasticity may be discussed in terms of the chemical structure of polymer chains.     

Effect of interfacial bonding on the strength of adhesion of elastomers. III. Interlinking by molecular entanglements

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) networks have been formed by end-linking linear PDMS molecules. When a second layer is cast on top of a fully gelled lower layer, the new molecules diffuse into the surface of the lower layer and form molecular loops (“entanglements”) in the course of end-linking with themselves. The two layers are then joined only by these macromolecular loops. Measurements have been made of the work required to separate such layers under threshold conditions, i.e., at low rates, high temperatures, and, in some cases, in the swollen state. Values of the work of detachement have been found to be 15–25 J/m², generally about one-half of the work of fracture of the layers themselves, and consistent with the inferred density of interlinking molecular loops at the interface. Values of the work of detachment were higher for higher densities of interlinking, roughly in proportion, and for interlinking molecular strands of higher molecular weight, in accordance with the theory of Lake and Thomas. In the absence of interlinking the work of detachment was extremely small, only about 70 mJ/m².     

The boron-catalyzed polymerization of dimethylsulfoxonium methylide. A living polymethylene synthesis

Trialkyl and aryl organoboranes catalyze the polymerization of dimethylsulfoxonium methylide (1). The product of the polymerization is a tris-polymethylene organoborane. Oxidation affords linear telechelic alpha-hydroxy polymethylene. The polymer molecular weight was found to be directly proportional to the stoichiometric ratio of ylide/borane, and polydispersities as low as 1.01-1.03 have been realized. Although oligomeric polymethylene has been the most frequent synthetic target of this method, polymeric star organoboranes with molecular weights of 1.5 million have been produced. The average turnover frequency at 120 degrees C in 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene/toluene is estimated at >6 x 10(6) g of polymethylene (mol boron)(-1) h(-1). The mechanism of the polyhomologation reaction involves initial formation of a zwitterionic organoborane.ylide complex which breaks down in a rate-limiting 1,2-alkyl group migration with concomitant expulsion of a molecule of DMSO. The reaction was found to be first order in the borane catalyst and zero order in ylide. DMSO does not interfere with the reaction. The temperature dependence of the reaction rate yielded the following activation energy parameters (toluene, DeltaH(++) = 23.2 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++) = 12.6 cal deg/mol, DeltaG(++) = 19.5 kcal/mol; THF, DeltaH(++) = 26.5 kcal/mol, DeltaS(++) = 21.5 cal deg/mol, DeltaG(++) = 20.1 kcal/mol).     

Tailor-made thermoplastic elastomers: customisable materials via modulation of molecular weight distributions

The ability to change polymer properties has in the past largely been a factor of modulating the molecular weight, molecular weight distribution breadth, crosslinking, or branching. The use of controlled MWD shape has recently emerged as a promising avenue towards modifying polymer properties. Taking advantage of molecular weight distribution shape, we report a simple and efficient approach for tuning material properties in polystyrene-block-polyisoprene-block-polystyrene (SIS) thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). We find that the skew of the MWD function governs tensile properties and can be used as a handle to predictably vary polymer toughness while reducing energy dissipation.

Taking advantage of molecular weight distributions shape, we report a simple and efficient approach for predictably tuning material properties for thermoplastic elastomers.     

A molecular electrostatic-potential study of acesulfame

Molecular electrostatic-potential maps are reported for the anionic and neutral forms of acesulfame (6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4(3H)-one-2,2-dioxide), a sweetener structurally similar to saccharin. The maps generated by methods based on a minimum basis set (STO-3G) and on a polarization basis set (3-21G*) are almost identical with respect to their contour levels. From the contour maps, broad and deep electrostatic-potential minima were found near the SO₂ and NC=O functionalities in the anion. The electrostatic potential minima directly correspond to the reactive sites proposed by Jakinovich for the interaction fo saccharin with its receptor.     

Synthesis and properties of polycyanoethylmethylsiloxane polyurea urethane elastomers: A study of segmental compatibility

A series of polyurea urethane block polymers based on either aminopropyl-terminated polycyanoethylmethylsiloxane (PCEMS) soft segments or soft segment blends of PCEMS and polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO) were synthesized. The hard segments consisted of 4,4′-methylenediphenylene diisocyanate (MDI) chain-extended with 1,4-butanediol. The hard segment content varied from 11 to 36%, whereas the PTMO weight fraction in the soft segment blends varied from 0.1 to 0.9. The cyanoethyl side group concentration was also varied during the synthesis of the PCEMS oligomer. The morphology and properties of these polymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical and tensile testing, and small-angle x-ray scattering. These materials exhibited microphase separation of the hard and soft segments; however, attaching polar cyanoethyl side groups along the apolar siloxane chains promoted phase mixing in comparison with polydimethylsiloxane-based polyurethanes. The increased phase mixing is postulated to lead to improved interfacial adhesion and thus can account for the observed improvement in ultimate tensile properties compared with polydimethylsiloxane-based polyurethanes. Both hard segment content and cyanoethyl concentration are important factors governing the morphological and tensile properties of these polymers.