Styrene butadiene rubber/epoxidized natural rubber blends: dynamic properties, curing characteristics and swelling studies

The dynamic properties, curing characteristics and swelling behaviour of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) blends were studied. The incorporation of ENR 50 in the blends improved processability, stiffness, resilience and reduced the damping property. In terms of curing characteristics, the scorch time, t₂ and curing time, t₉₀ of the SBR/ENR blends decrease with increasing ENR content. At room temperature (23°C) and at 100°C the swelling degree of the SBR/ENR blends decreases with increasing ENR content.     

DSC and FTIR Analyses of The Curing Behavior of Epoxy/dicy/solvent Systems on Hermetic Specimens

The curing characteristics of adicyandiamide-cured epoxy system under the influence of solvents in a closed environment were studied by means of isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The DSC analyses revealed that the presence of solvent results in decreases in the curing exotherm, the initial curing rate, the glass transition temperature, the reaction rate and the reaction order of the epoxy resin. The greatest decreases were caused by the solvent with the highest boiling temperature. A change in temperature-dependent curing route due to the heat absorbed during solvent evaporation is responsible for the difference. The FTIR analyses confirmed that the composition of the cured resin is affected by the solvent, the curing temperature and the specimen configuration. As compared with those obtained from open systems, specimens produced in a closed environment have an enhanced curing exotherm, initial curing rate, glass transition temperature, reaction rate and reaction order because of the retention of volatile catalytic by-products. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

In situ reactive compatibilization of polypropylene/epoxidized natural rubber blends by electron induced reactive processing: novel in‐line mixing technology

Blends of polypropylene (PP) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) were prepared by an in‐line electron induced reactive processing technique. The mixing was done in a Brabender mixing chamber coupled with an electron accelerator. The effect of sequence of electron treatment on the compatibilization of non‐polar PP and polar ENR was investigated in the presence of triallyl cyanurate (TAC). Finally, the resulting blends were characterized by different techniques, namely, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests, and rheological studies. Generation of phase coupling and chemical compatibilization were observed from FTIR analysis. DMA studies showed enhanced high‐temperature modulus (above the glass transition temperature of both components) followed up by lowering in the tan δ peak. Rheological studies showed increase in modulus at low frequencies. Electron treatment and incorporation of rubber phase into PP showed significant effect on the degree of crystallinity of the blends, which was characterized by DSC study. The results obtained from FTIR, DMA, SEM, rheological studies, and tensile tests strongly affirmed that electron induced reactive processing of PP in presence of TAC before adding of ENR performed the best amongst all samples modified with electrons investigated in this study. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phase separation,porous structure,and cure kinetics in aliphatic epoxy resin containing hyperbranched polyester

Thermosetting blends of an aliphatic epoxy resin and a hydroxyl‐functionalized hyperbranched polymer (HBP), aliphatic hyperbranched polyester Boltorn H40, were prepared using 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) as the curing agent. The phase behavior and morphology of the DDM‐cured epoxy/HBP blends with HBP content up to 40 wt % were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cured epoxy/HBP blends are immiscible and exhibit two separate glass transitions, as revealed by DMA. The SEM observation showed that there exist two phases in the cured blends, which is an epoxy‐rich phase and an HBP‐rich phase, which is responsible for the two separate glass transitions. The phase morphology was observed to be dependent on the blend composition. For the blends with HBP content up to 10 wt %, discrete HBP domains are dispersed in the continuous cured epoxy matrix, whereas the cured blend with 40 wt % HBP exhibits a combined morphology of connected globules and bicontinuous phase structure. Porous epoxy thermosets with continuous open structures on the order of 100–300 nm were formed after the HBP‐rich phase was extracted with solvent from the cured blend with 40 wt % HBP. The DSC study showed that the curing rate is not obviously affected in the epoxy/HBP blends with HBP content up to 40 wt %. The activation energy values obtained are not remarkably changed in the blends; the addition of HBP to epoxy resin thus does not change the mechanism of cure reaction of epoxy resin with DDM. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 889–899, 2006     

Effect of Pickering emulsion on the mechanical performances and fracture toughness of epoxy composites

The improvement of mechanical properties and toughness of nanoparticles for epoxy composites was mostly dependent on the disperse state of nanoparticles in epoxy matrices. When the content of nanoparticles was higher than a threshold value, it was easy to aggregate and then affect the improvement effect. Pickering emulsion was prepared using SiO₂ nanoparticles as emulsifier and functional monomer as oil phase. The influence of Pickering emulsion on the curing process was investigated. The effect of Pickering emulsion on the mechanical properties, toughness, and glass transition temperature (Tg) was studied. Impact and tensile fracture surface were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results from differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), tensile, impact, and fracture toughness tests are provided. The results indicated that the introduction of Pickering emulsion can eliminate the residual stress and accelerate curing reaction. Epoxy composites were capable of increasing tensile strength by up to 29.9%, impact strength of three‐fold, fracture toughness of 35%, and Tg of 20.7°C in comparison with the reference sample. SEM images showed that SiO₂ nanoparticles exhibit a good dispersion in epoxy matrix. The increases in mechanical properties, toughness, and Tg of epoxy composites were attributed to the “Second Phase Toughness” mechanism.     

Improvement in fracture behaviors of epoxy resins toughened with sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)

The sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) (SPES) was successfully prepared using chlorosulfonic acid as a sulfonating agent. Diglycidylether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy resins were modified with different contents of SPES, and the thermal and mechanical interfacial properties of DGEBA/SPES blends were investigated. As a result, the surface free energy of the blends was increased by the addition of SPES. DSC measurements revealed that the curing reaction was delayed with the increase of SPES content. Whereas, the thermal stabilities of the blends were slightly decreased as the SPES content increased. Meanwhile, the glass transition temperature and fracture toughness of the blends were increased with increasing SPES content, due to the improved intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, between the hydroxyl group of DGEBA and the sulfonic group of SPES in the blends. The agreement could be observed by SEM which revealed phase separated morphology of DGEBA/SPES blends.     

Preparation and characterization of acidified chitosan immobilized in epoxidized natural rubber

Biocomposites comprising chitosan (CTS) trapped in an epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was prepared by homogenizing CTS in ENR50 (ENR with about 50% epoxy content) latex in the presence of curing agents and acetic acid. Micrographs of CTS-t-ENR reveal no phased-out entity. Infrared spectra of CTS-t-ENR show only vibrational bands belonging to CTS and ENR, affirming that the former was not bonded but immobilized in the matrix of the latter. CTS loading up to 5 phr resulted in the increase in the tensile strength and elongation at break, modulus of the CTS-t-ENR. Thermal stability of CTS-t-ENR is higher than that of CTS but lower than that of ENR. Increase in CTS loading from 2.5 to 20 phr resulted in the decrease in toluene absorbency but increase in water uptake of CTS-t-ENR.     

多壁碳纳米管对环氧树脂/聚醚酰亚胺体系相分离的影响

通过溶液混合的方法制备了环氧树脂/聚醚酰亚胺(PEI)/多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)三元复合物,并使用扫描电镜(SEM)、原位红外分析(FTIR)、流变测试和非等温DSC等手段研究了MWCNTs的存在对体系相分离形貌和固化反应的影响.扫描电镜的结果显示,在固化后的样品中MWCNTs较均匀地分散在两相中.150℃下固化,不含MWCNTs和MWCNTs含量为0.75 pbw的体系相分离形貌呈海岛状结构,而进一步增大MWCNTs含量后相分离形貌呈双连续结构,且相区尺寸随MWCNTs含量的增加而减小.120℃下固化,不含MWCNTs和MWCNTs含量为0.75 pbw的体系相分离形貌呈双连续结构,而进一步增大MWCNTs含量后,体系相分离形貌呈相反转结构.FTIR和DSC的测试结果表明,MWCNTs表面的羟基对环氧树脂的固化反应起到催化作用,使得固化反应速度加快,反应活化能降低.而流变测试的结果表明,随着MWCNTs含量增加,一方面交叉跨越多个相区的碳纳米管使得体系黏度增大,对相分离起到了一定的抑制作用;另一方面使得体系凝胶化时间提前,导致体系相分离形貌被固定在相分离的较早阶段,起到有效调控相分离形貌的作用.     

Bio-based polylactide/epoxidized natural rubber thermoplastic vulcanizates with a co-continuous phase structure

A bio-based thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) composed of polylactide (PLA) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was fabricated through dicumyl peroxide-induced dynamic vulcanization. It was found that the crosslinked ENR phase had a specific continuous structure, hence forming a bi-continuous structure in the TPV. We designed cyclic stress-strain, stress-soften and stress-relaxation tests and SEM observation to reveal the relationship between the PLA continuous phase and crosslinked ENR continuous phase. It was found that the PLA phase generated crazes to adapt the elongation of the ENR continuous phase during stretching. At the same time, the enhanced interface between PLA and ENR kept the stress transferring between the two phases. The ENR with more epoxy groups showed better compatibility with PLA, which resulted in better mechanical properties.     

热塑性聚醚酰亚胺改性四官能度环氧树脂的相分离研究──固化剂用量的影响

以DSC、TRLS和SEM等方法研究了固化剂DDS用量对苯端基聚醚酰亚胺(P-PEI)改性4,4'-二氨基二苯甲烷四缩水甘油环氧树脂(TGDDM)体系的固化速率及相结构的影响.结果表明,20phrP-PEI改性环氧体系在150℃固化时,随DDS量增加,固化反应速率增大,相分离时间提前,形成了不同的相结构,解释了DDS量对粘接剪切强度的影响.     

环氧天然橡胶接枝高分散白炭黑增强天然橡胶复合材料的制备及表征

基于白炭黑表面硅羟基与环氧基团的可反应性,利用Haake流变仪的高温高剪切作用,在170℃下,实现了环氧天然橡胶(ENR)对白炭黑的固态原位接枝,制备出一种高分散疏水型白炭黑.探讨了白炭黑和ENR的反应配比对增强性能的影响,确定合适的反应比例为3∶1.FTIR、TGA和TEM的分析结果证实了ENR被接枝到白炭黑表面上.对比研究了接枝前、后白炭黑对增强天然橡胶(NR)复合材料性能的影响,测试结果表明接枝白炭黑在天然橡胶中具有良好的分散性并能明显改善对天然橡胶的增强效果;接枝于白炭黑表面上的环氧天然橡胶分子玻璃化转变向高温偏移,使该复合材料在常温下具备优异力学性能的同时也体现出了高动态滞后的特点.     

几种聚醚胺改性蒙脱土对环氧树脂固化过程的影响

首先制备了五种聚醚胺改性蒙脱土(MMT), 并将这五种聚醚胺改性蒙脱土加入到双酚A 型环氧树脂E51 和聚醚胺D400体系中, 采用差示扫描量热法(DSC)考察了五种聚醚胺改性MMT对环氧树脂升温固化进程的影响. 随后, 优选一种EP/MMT 混合体系即EP/D400-T500-MMT 混合体系, 系统地研究了该体系与纯环氧树脂体系在130, 140, 150 及160 ℃等几个温度下的等温固化过程, 考察了等温固化时间对固化度和固化度变化速率的影响以及固化度与固化度变化速率之间的关系, 并利用Kamal 模型进行拟合计算了固化动力学参数. 研究结果表明, 与纯环氧树脂相比, 几种聚醚胺改性MMT 的固化放热峰均向高温迁移, 同时聚醚胺D400 协同插层MMT 降低了高分子量聚醚胺插层MMT 所导致的环氧树脂DSC 曲线的畸变情况; EP/D400-T500-MMT 混合体系和纯环氧体系的等温固化反应过程符合Kamal 模型;在相同的固化温度下, EP/D400-T5000-MMT 混合体系的反应速率常数k₁ 和k₂ 值以及反应级数m 均比纯EP 体系小, 而反应级数n 以及总反应级数m+n 值比纯EP 体系大, 表明两种聚醚胺协同插层的改性蒙脱土D400-T5000-MMT 的加入降低了环氧体系固化反应速率. 另外, EP/D400-T5000-MMT 混合体系的活化能E_a1 和E_a2 与纯EP 体系的相比也略有升高.     

Structure evolution of bio-based PLA/ENR thermoplastic vulcanizates during dynamic vulcanization processing

The thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) of Polylactide (PLA)/Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) were prepared by dynamic vulcanization technology. The processing torque, crosslink density, morphology of PLA/ENR blends, and PLA's molecular weight during the processing were investigated by HAAKE rheometer, swelling measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). It was found that the vulcanization of ENR completed at the turning point after torque peak. After the turning point, the torque and crosslink density decreased with the processing time increasing. Moreover, the morphology of PLA/ENR blends showed bi-continuous structure during the dynamic vulcanization processing, and the phase size of PLA/ENR was increased with processing time and temperature. GPC results showed PLA degradation mainly happened after torque turning point. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicated that some parts of PLA would graft on ENR during processing, and the higher the processing temperature, the more the PLA was grafted.     

Epoxy/poly(benzyl methacrylate) blends: miscibility, phase separation on curing and morphology

Diglycidyl ether of bisfenol-A (DGEBA)/polybenzyl methacrylate (PBzMA) blends cured with 4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) were studied. Miscibility, phase separation, cure kinetics and morphology were investigated through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Non-reactive DGEBA/PBzMA blends are miscible over the whole composition range. The addition of PBzMA to the reactive (DGEBA+DDM) mixture slows down the curing rate, although the reaction mechanism remains autocatalytic. On curing, initially miscible (DGEBA+DDM)/PBzMA blends phase separate, arising two glass transition temperatures that correspond to a PBzMA-rich phase and to epoxy network. Cured epoxy/PBzMA blends present different morphologies as a function of the PBzMA content.     

Preparation of epoxy-acrylic latex based on bisphenol F epoxy resin

Bisphenol F based epoxy-acrylic latex with different amount of epoxy resin was successfully prepared by semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization. The resulting composite latexes had a narrow size distribution of about 105 nm in diameter. The DSC result showed that the epoxy resin and polyacrylate were grafting copolymerization. The FTIR spectra showed that the epoxy group had been introduced into the epoxy acrylic latex system, and the composite latex could be crosslinked with epoxy hardener at room temperature. The crosslinked composite latex film exhibited a high Tg compared to epoxy-acrylic latexes. The surface of the films with the epoxy resin was regular, and diffused into the polyacrylate phase in the epoxy-acrylic latexes films. Since the curing reactions occurred before latex particle coalescence stage, the surfaces of the cured epoxy-acrylate latex films had a number of interface particle. Compared with the acrylic latex, the thermal stability of the epoxy-acrylate latex was increased, and the stability of the cured film increased with increasing epoxy content.     

Reaction-induced phase separation in rubber-modified epoxy resin

The phase separation mechanism,and structure development during curing of epoxy with a novel liquid rubber-ZR were investigated by time-resolved light scattering,optical microscope and differential scanning calonmetry (DSC) The mixture loaded with curing agent was a single-phase system in the early stage of curing.When the cure reaction proceeded,phase separation took place via the spinodal decomposition induced by polymerization of epoxy resin.This was supported by the characteristic change of light scattering profile with curing time.Cure reaction plays an important role in the progress of phase separation.The bigger the cure reaction rate is,the longer periodic distance will be.The overall two-phase structure was basically locked in when the conversion approached 80% estimated by DSC,and finally the co-continuous two-phase structure was successfully obtained.     

The curing kinetics and mechanical properties of epoxy resin composites reinforced by PEEK microparticles

In this paper, a polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK)/epoxy composite was prepared by using PEEK microparticles as the reinforcement. The nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test was used to evaluate the curing reaction of PEEK/epoxy resin system. The curing kinetics of this system were examined utilizing nonisothermal kinetic analyses (Kissinger and Ozawa), isoconversional methods (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose) and an autocatalytic reaction model. During these analyses, the kinetic parameters and models were obtained, the curing behavior of PEEK/epoxy resin system under dynamic conditions was predicted. The results show that isoconversional methods can adequately interpret the curing behavior of PEEK/epoxy resin system and that the theoretical DSC curves calculated by the autocatalytic reaction model are in good agreement with experimental data. Furthermore, the tensile elongation at break, tensile strength, flexural strength, compression strength and compression modulus increased by 81.6%, 33.66%, 36.53%, 10.98% and 15.14%, respectively, when PEEK microparticles were added in epoxy resin composites.     

环氧树脂/聚砜共混体系相结构的调控研究——环氧预聚物分子量的影响

研究了不同分子量的环氧预聚物对双酚A型双官能团环氧树脂 /聚砜 (PSF) /固化剂 (二氨基二苯基砜 ,DDS)体系相分离结构的影响 .通过红外光谱 (FTIR)和动态热机械分析 (TMA)对反应转化率、玻璃化温度以及固化温度的关系的研究 ,表明环氧预聚物分子量较小时 ,凝胶点和玻璃化是影响相结构的关键因素 ;环氧分子量较大时 ,环氧扩链后粘度的变化则成为抑制相分离的重要因素 .电子显微镜 (SEM)结果表明改变环氧预聚物分子量可以达到调控相结构的目的 ,随着预聚物分子量的增大 ,体系的微区尺寸减小 .     

端噁唑啉聚醚对环氧树脂的固化与增韧作用的研究

用IR、DSC等分析方法研究了端2-噁唑啉聚环氧丙烷(活性聚醚)与环氧树脂的固化反应,对固化机理作了讨论。并考察了不同分子量活性聚醚对环氧树脂的增韧作用。结果表明,此活性聚醚对环氧树脂增韧效果明显,固化树脂综合性能较好。     

潜伏性热释放型微胶囊固化剂2苯基咪唑-聚甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯的结构表征与性能研究

以2-苯基咪唑(2PZ)为芯材,聚甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(PGMA)为壁材,采用溶剂挥发技术,成功地制备了一种新型潜伏性热释放型微胶囊固化剂2PZ-PGMA。通过FT-IR、TGA、SEM、粒度分析和DSC对微胶囊固化剂的化学结构、芯材含量、表面形貌、粒径分布及固化性能等进行了表征。所制备的微胶囊固化剂表面光滑,粒径分布较窄,平均粒径为约17.6μm,壁材厚度为约1.1μm,芯材2PZ含量为20.1(wt)%。由微胶囊固化剂与环氧树脂E-51制备的单组分胶粘剂,具有优良的固化特性、潜伏性能和粘接性能,可在100℃下30min内实现固化,室温储存期达33d以上,拉伸剪切强度达15.36MPa。