The bifunctionality of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] in self-reinforced composite materials

The poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) is a highly crystalline, biosourced polymer. The advantages of the PHB are its biodegradability and biocompatibility; however, the brittleness caused by its high crystallinity decreases the application ability of the PHB in comparison with the polyolefins. Excellent results were observed for the reactive extrusion of PHB in the presence of peroxides in many investigations of the modifications of PHB mechanical properties. The disadvantage must be considered to be the thermal degradation of PHB during extended extrusion and its limitation in natural composite preparation. The peroxides are highly reactive with natural fillers, and this causes a decrease of the filler's mechanical properties. Consequently, the reactive extrusion may be a useful tool for the production of additives only. The results we present of this investigation is based on a different material preparation strategy. The two-stage method incorporated additives preparation via reactive extrusion of PHB and the blending of the obtained product with neat PHB. Theself-reinforced composite material obtained in this way revealed significantly higher values of stress and strain compared to neat PHB. The thermal degradation of the PHB matrix was retarded and total crystallinity of the composite was decreased. The materials were characterized using DSC, SEM and SEC techniques. The samples were also investigated employing tensile and impact strength tests.     

Structural characteristics of some high density polyethylene/EPDM blends

Blends of ethylene propylene diene terpolymer rubber (EPDM) with high density polyethylene were obtained by melt mixing. Mechanical properties of the composites, tensile strength, hardness, resilience, elongation at break, 100% modulus and tear strength were determined. Differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle x-ray diffraction were employed to study melting behavior and crystalline structure. The surface properties were analyzed using contact angle determinations. Also, compatibilization with PE-g-MA or dynamical vulcanization using phenolic resins was applied to obtain improved mechanical properties. It was found that the crystalline structure of HDPE was not changed during blending. The vulcanized composite presents a lower degree of crystallinity. Elongation at break and hardness were significantly increased for composites containing compatibilizing agent. The morphology of EPDM composites was studied by atomic force microscopy.     

Microstructures and mechanical properties of ultrafine grained pure Ti produced by severe plastic deformation

Microstructure evolution and mechanical behavior of ultrafine grained (UFG) commercially pure Ti produced by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) were investigated. Repetitive pressings of the same sample were performed to six passes at 683 K, using the procedure designated as route B _c . After the sixth pass was finished, recrystallized grains were observed as similar as the fourth pass. The average size of the recrystallized grains was approximately 0.3 μm. The hardness value (H _v ) continuously increases with decreasing grain size. The H _v values are in good agreement with the other experimental data of Ti produced by severe plastic deformation processes. The similar slop k _H suggests that these microstructures have similar density of dislocations in the grains produced by the severe plastic deformation processes such as torsion straining, multiple forging, and ECAP. The grain size dependence of k _y in the present samples is 7.9  $ MPa\sqrt m $ . After six-pass ECAP, the ultimate tensile strength was increased by 60%. This is most likely due to considerable grain refinement through severe deformation by ECAP. The standard Hall–Petch relation for yield strength and hardness in the ECAPed Ti implies that the ECAPed Ti samples have similar texture and that the effect of grain size on strength may prevail over the effect of texture on the strength in Ti.     

Enhancing chain segments mobility to improve the fracture toughness of polypropylene

As a part of a serial work about the annealing inducing improvement of fracture toughness of polypropylene (PP) articles, in this work, a highly efficient mobilizer was introduced into PP and the injection-molded samples were annealed at different temperatures. The mobility of chain segments of PP was investigated by measuring the glass transition temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) were used to characterize the variation of crystalline structure of PP during the annealing process. The fracture behaviors including notched Izod impact fracture and universal tensile fracture were investigated to detect the mechanical properties in response to the variations of both chain segments mobility and crystalline structures. It was found that the mobilizer greatly improved the chain segments mobility. Further results showed that the mobilizer also induced apparent changes of the glass transition temperature and the degree of crystallinity of PP during the annealing process. Consequently, the annealed PP samples containing a few amount of mobilizer exhibited largely increased fracture toughness.     

聚甲醛和聚氨酯共混物的微观结构与力学性能

聚甲醛和聚氨酯共混物的微观结构与力学性能徐卫兵，朱士旺，蔡琼英（合肥工业大学化工学院合肥２３０００９）关键词聚甲醛，聚氨酯，共混物，微观结构，力学性能聚甲醛（ＰＯＭ）是６０年代发展起来的新型工程塑料，具有高密度、高结晶性，且坚硬、耐磨、自润滑、耐疲劳...     

聚丁二酸丁二酯/纳米高岭土共混体系结晶及力学性能研究

用熔融共混法制备聚丁二酸丁二酯(PBS)/纳米高岭土(nano kaolin)复合降解材料,利用FTIR、DSC、万能拉力机和SEM对其微观结构、结晶、力学性能及分散性进行研究.FTIR光谱分析结果表明,改性剂与nano kaolin发生了化学键合作用;DSC结果表明,在PBS中加入nano kaolin,提高了结晶起...     

液化MDI/PHMA体系形状记忆聚氨酯结构与性能的研究

用聚已二酸已二酯(PHMA)为软段,液化MDI和BDO为硬段,采用两步溶液法合成了具有形状记忆功能的多嵌段聚氨酯,利用DSC,WAXD等测试手段分析了该体系的形态结构,同时讨论了该体系的形状记忆行为、拉伸力学性能及动态力学性能.结果发现,该体系SMPU的硬段以无定形存在,软段具有很好的结晶性能;具有很好的形状记忆性能,形状固定率可达100%,形状回复率在97%以上,回复温度在35~45℃;同时它兼有较高的拉伸强度(约为28~50 MPa)和断裂伸长率(约为900%~1400%);动态力学性能卓越,其室温模量可达279.8 MPa,软段熔融前后模量比可达140.     

Evaluation of mechanical properties and characterization of silicon carbide–reinforced polyamide 6 polymer composites and their engineering applications

In this article, the tensile strength, impact, and hardness properties of silicon carbide (SiC) reinforced with polyamide 6 (PA6) are described for the first time. The composites were fabricated by an injection molding method using the SiC with varying weight percentages. The tensile and hardness of SiC/PA6 composites showed a regular trend of increasing tensile strength, impact, and hardness properties with varying weight percentages until 10 wt% and impact strength of SiC/PA6 composites increased up to 5 wt% afterwards decreasing the mechanical properties of the composite with greater weight percentages. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies were carried out to evaluate the SiC/PA6 interactions. The results related to SiC/PA6 composites were compared with those obtained for pure PA6.     

氯化镁/聚乙二醇复配增塑剂热塑加工聚乙烯醇

采用氯化镁和聚乙二醇对聚乙烯醇(PVA)进行增塑改性, 并利用熔融加工方法制备了PVA薄膜.采用傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)、X射线衍射(XRD)、差示扫描量热分析(DSC)和热重分析(TGA)方法研究了由氯化镁和聚乙二醇组成的复配增塑剂与PVA的相互作用及复配增塑剂对PVA结晶性能、热性能和力学性能的影响.结果表明, 由氯化镁和聚乙二醇组成的复配增塑剂能有效地破坏PVA自身的氢键, 降低PVA的结晶度和熔融温度, 提高PVA的热稳定性并扩展PVA的热塑加工温度窗口.由复配增塑剂通过热塑加工方法制得的PVA薄膜具有较好的力学性能, 拉伸强度为31 MPa, 断裂伸长率为466%.     

CHANGES OF STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF POLY (ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) CAUSED BY IN-SITU POLYMERIZATION OF PYRROLE

Conductive polymer composites based on crystalline polymer matrix have been prepared by using an in-situ polymerization process of pyrrole in amorphous poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film. The DSC and WAXD measurement and SEM observation show that liquid-induced crystallization of PET matrix has occurred during the preparation of composite films. Depending upon the equilibrium degree of swelling and crystallinity, the limited depth of penetration of pyrrole molecules results in a skin-core structure of the composite film. The skin layer containing charge transfer intercalated polypyrrole has a surface resistance of 3.5×10~4 Ω. Rigid and heat-resistant polypyrrole molecules formed in PET film increase the tensile modulus and, especially, the rigidity of PET at elevated temperatures. However, they decrease the tensile strength and elongation at break, and impair the thermal ductility of PET.     

Impact resistance of all-polypropylene composites composed of alpha and beta modifications

The impact behaviour of self-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites was studied. α and β polymorphs of isotactic PP homopolymer and random copolymer (with ethylene) were used for matrix materials, whereas the reinforcement was a fabric woven from highly stretched split PP yarns. The composite sheets were produced by the film-stacking method and consolidated by hot pressing at 5 and 15 °C above the melting temperature (T_m) of the matrix-giving PP grade. The composite sheets were subjected to static tensile, dynamic falling weight impact and impact tensile tests at room temperature. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was also performed on the related composites and their constituents. The results indicated that the β-modification of the PP homopolymer is more straightforward than that of the PP copolymer. Stiffness and strength usually increased while the toughness (tensile impact strength, perforation impact energy) decreased with increasing temperature of consolidation. This was assigned to differences in the failure mode based on fractographic results.     

Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of Fine-Grained Al5083 Alloys Processed by Equal-Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP)

In the present study, the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of ECAP Al5083 alloy was investigated in air as well as in 3.5 % NaCl solution using the slow strain rate tensile test (SSRT). The characteristics of grain boundary precipitates (GBPs), specifically the microchemistry of the SCC behavior of Al5083 alloys, both in “as-received” condition and when deformed by the ECAP process, were examined. The correlations between the SCC resistance and GBP microchemistry were examined. A microstructural evaluation was performed using an optical microscope. SCC tests were carried out using a universal tensile testing machine and the fracture surfaces were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A strain rate of 1×10⁻⁶ s⁻¹ was applied for the SSRT. As the passes increased, the SCC susceptibility of the fine-grained ECAP Al5083 alloy also increased. Moreover, higher ultimate tensile strength and greater elongation were observed. This was due to grain refinement, high-density separations, and the expanded extent of high-density dislocations instigated by severe plastic deformation. Due to the high strength and elongation, the failure analysis showed a ductile mode of fracture. Electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) analysis was performed to determine more clearly the nature of cracking. EBSD analysis showed that the crack propagation occurred in both transgranular and intergranular modes.     

Influence of film preparation procedures on the crystallinity, morphology and mechanical properties of LLDPE films

Influence of various film preparation procedures on the crystallinity, morphology and mechanical properties of pure linear low-density polyethylene and its calcite filled composite films has been studied using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffractometer (WAXRD), atomic force microscope (AFM) and ultimate tensile testing machine (UTM). The film preparation procedures include variation in cooling rates such as quenching, force (fan) and natural cooling and in techniques such as extrusion followed by melt squeezing and compression molding. The heat of fusion (from DSC), the degree of crystallinity (from WAXRD) and the crystallite size (from WAXRD and AFM) are found to be the highest for naturally cooled specimen, followed by fan cooled and quenched ones. The AFM images of surface topology exhibit stacked lamellar morphology for forcefully cooled (fan cooled and quenching) samples and spherulitic ‘lozenges’ for naturally cooled ones. The Young’s modulus and yield stress (from UTM) are the highest for naturally cooled samples, followed by fan cooled and quenched ones. Amongst the calcite filled composites, the ‘base film’, which is prepared by extrusion followed by melt squeezing and natural cooling, exhibits the lowest heat of fusion, degree of crystallinity and Young’s modulus, but the highest yield stress, elongation at break and tensile strength compared to the compression molded ones.     

Crystallinity changes in plastically deformed isotactic polypropylene evaluated by x‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry methods

The crystallinity of isotactic polypropylene (iPP), when deformed with plastic plane‐strain compression, was studied with wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. A comparison of the obtained crystallinity data with annealed iPP samples was performed. The material used in this study was commercial iPP (weight‐average molecular weight = 117.400 g/mol; number‐average molecular weight = 17.300 g/mol). A significant decrease in the crystallinity was observed with increasing deformation pressure when the X‐ray method was employed, whereas only a small decrease was registered when the DSC method of crystallinity determination was used. However, the annealed iPP samples demonstrated a slight crystallinity increase when evaluated by both techniques. The reason for the difference between WAXS and DSC crystallinity results is discussed. This study of iPP specimens subjected to large deformation led us to the conclusion that the WAXS method provides accurate crystallinity values for the deformed material, whereas the values obtained by the DSC method do not reproduce the real crystallinity of the deformed material. This is due to the inherent heating process of the method, which causes a relaxation process and a significant change in the crystallinity of the deformed material, providing values nearer to its intrinsic equilibrium state. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 896–903, 2002     

Effect of fiber length and loading on the properties of Schumannianthus dichotomus (murta) fiber–reinforced epoxy composites

The present work was aimed at preparing composite materials using epoxy matrix and murta fibers of varying lengths and weight percentages. The composites were analyzed on the basis of density, thermal gravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, tensile strength, flexural strength, Izod impact strength, and Rockwell hardness studies. Twenty-five weight percent of randomly oriented fibers of 25 mm length rendered the best mechanical properties to the composite. The tensile strength of the composite was analyzed using the Hirsch model. The characterization of the composite reveals that murta fiber is a good candidate for polymer reinforcement.     

聚丙烯/凹凸棒石纳米复合材料的制备与性能研究

以聚丙烯(PP)为聚合物基体,天然凹凸棒石(ATP)为无机组分,经过氧化聚乙烯对ATP表面进行包覆处理,用熔融共混的方法制备了PP/ATP纳米复合材料.扫描电镜结果显示,经本方法处理后的ATP在PP基体中分散较为均匀.ATP棒晶簇直径最佳分散尺寸能达到20~40 nm,比未处理ATP在基体中的棒晶簇直径小10 nm以上;XRD测试表明,未处理ATP和处理后的ATP均有使PP晶粒细化的作用,同时不改变PP的α晶型;DSC结果显示,ATP的加入提高了PP的结晶温度和结晶度,说明ATP有一定的成核作用.通过对复合材料的力学性能测试发现,经过处理的ATP制备的复合材料力学性能优于未处理ATP复合材料对PP力学性能的改善.其中ATP与氧化聚乙烯固含量的质量比为2∶1,ATP含量为3 wt%时复合材料力学性能达到最好.缺口冲击强度比纯PP最高提高了83%,提高幅度显著;经过处理的ATP制备的复合材料拉伸强度提高了6%~11%;弯曲强度提高了33%~45%;弯曲模量提高了90%~106%.     

VER/SEPS弹性体的原位聚合制备及其力学性能

采用原位聚合法制备了乙烯基酯树脂(VER)/苯乙烯-乙烯-丙烯(SEPS)嵌段共聚物复合材料,并用SEM、DSC等对其结构进行了表征,研究了组分变化对VER/SEPS的结构及其力学性能的影响。结果表明:原位聚合法制得的VER/SEPS复合材料具有互穿网络(IPN)结构;随着体系中SEPS含量的增加,最大拉伸强度呈下降趋势,断裂伸长率和冲击强度呈现上升趋势;当wSEPS<0.175,wVER=0.15时杨氏模量可提高约800%。     

Effects of stereo-defect distribution on the crystalline morphology and tensile behavior of isotactic polypropylene prepared by compression molding process

In this study, the aggregation morphology, tensile behavior, and morphology evolution during the tensile test of two isotactic polypropylene (iPP) samples with similar molecular weight and average isotacticity but different uniformities of stereo-defect distribution are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), two-dimensional wide angle X-ray diffraction (2D-WAXD), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the uniformity of stereo-defect distribution of iPP determines the crystalline structure and aggregation morphology, and further influences the tensile behavior and morphology evolution during the tensile test. For PP-A with less uniform stereo-defect distribution, its ability of crystallization is stronger compared with PP-B, resulting in smaller spherulite sizes, higher melting point and degree of crystallinity, and narrower distribution of lamellar thickness of the compression molding specimens. During the tensile test, mainly the inter-spherulite deformation takes place at the early stage for deformation, which further results in drastic deformation of lamellar and high degree of reorientation at the strain increases, exhibiting higher yield strength and elastic modulus, and lower elongation at break compared with PP-B; for PP-B with more uniform stereo-defect distribution, larger spherulite sizes, lower melting point and degree of crystallinity in its compression molding sample are observed. During the tensile test, intra-spherulite deformation mainly takes place, which can disperse the tensile stress more uniformly. As the strain increases, lower degree of crystalline destruction and reorientation of the crystallites take place. The yield strength and elastic modulus of PP-B is lower than PP-A, and its elongation at break is higher.     

CaSO_4纳米晶须对PBT-PE-液晶离聚物杂化材料形态结构与力学性能的影响

通过熔融共混法将CaSO4纳米晶须和含磺酸离子的液晶离聚物(LCI)与聚对苯二甲酸丁二醇酯-聚乙烯(PBT-PE),制成PBT-PE-LCI-CaSO4纳米晶须杂化材料。通过DSC、红外图像系统分析和拉伸试验对共混体系的热性能、形态结构和力学性能进行了研究。结果表明:在共混体系中加入LCI提高了体系中PE的结晶温度和结晶度,并且LCI包裹着CaSO4纳米晶须,分散相PE均匀地分散在PBT基体中;当基体与CaSO4纳米晶须的质量比为100∶3时,杂化材料的力学性能最好。     

Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) Induced Crystallization of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Super Performing Nanocomposite Films

This study is aimed to explore the properties of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films with and without 1,2,3,4‐butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), a nontoxic crosslinker. CNC and CNC‐PVA nanocomposite films are prepared using solution‐casting technique. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses show that crosslinking increased the glass transition temperature but reduced the melting temperature and crystallinity. Furthermore, high CNC concentrations in the PVA matrix interfere with PVA crystallinity, whereas in specific ratio between CNC and PVA, two different crystalline structures are observed within the PVA matrix. Film surfaces and fracture topographies characterized using scanning electron microscope indicate that at certain CNC‐PVA ratios, micron‐sized needle‐like crystals have formed. These crystalline structures correlate with the remarkable improvement in mechanical properties of the CNC‐PVA nanocomposite films, that is, enhanced tensile strain and toughness to 570% and 202 MJ m^?3, respectively, as compared to pristine PVA. BTCA enhances the tensile strain, ultimate tensile stress, toughness, and modulus of CNC films compared to pristine CNC films. Water absorption of crosslinked CNC and CNC‐PVA nanocomposite films is significantly reduced, while film transparency is significantly improved as a function of PVA and crosslinker content. The presented results indicate that CNC‐PVA nanocomposite films may find applications in packaging, and though materials applications.