Orientation and mechanical properties of PBT and its blends with a liquid-crystalline copolyester

Blends of poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and a liquid-crystalline copolyester (60 mol % poly(p-hydroxy benzoic acid)/40 mol % polyethylene terephthalate) (LCP) were prepared in the melt state. The investigation of mechanical properties indicated that, for the processing conditions used, neither the addition of up to 30 wt % LCP to PBT nor the cooling history affected significantly the tensile modulus E. For oriented specimens, a marked improvement of E was obtained for all the blends, and increased with the LCP content. This improvement was more marked for slowly cooled samples. X-ray diffraction was used to quantify the orientation of the crystalline PBT and liquid-crystalline LCP phases. It was shown that neither the thermal history nor the presence of up to 30 wt % LCP affected the orientation behavior of the PBT crystalline phase. For the LCP phase, measurements were not possible for concentrations lower than 10 wt %, and were more difficult and less precise than for PBT. Nevertheless, it was possible to show that a better orientation was obtained for the slowly cooled samples and for higher concentrations of LCP in the blends. This correlated with the enhancement of mechanical properties observed for the oriented samples.     

Water sorption and transport in blends of polyethyloxazoline and polyethersulfone

Water sorption and transport properties for a series of homogeneous blends of hydrophobic polyethersulfone and hydrophilic polyethyloxazoline are reported. Only blends that remained homogeneous after exposure to liquid water were studied in detail. Equilibrium solubility of water in the blend films increases with increasing hydrophilic polymer content. For all materials, equilibrium sorption isotherms show dual-mode behavior at low water vapor activities and swelling behavior at high activities. The sorption/desorption kinetics for PES are generally Fickian, but two-stage behavior is evident in blends containing 10 and 20% polyethyloxazoline. Diffusion coefficients decrease with increasing polyethyloxazoline content, owing to a decrease in the fractional free volume. For all materials, the diffusion coefficient shows a positive dependence on water vapor activity or concentration due to plasticization of the material by high levels of sorbed water, but it becomes a greater function of activity as the composition of hydrophilic polymer in the blend is increased. Since the decrease in the diffusion coefficient is greater than the increase in the solubility coefficient, the permeability coefficient decreases with increasing hydrophilic polymer content. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 993–1007, 1997     

Rodlike/flexible polyimide composite films prepared from soluble poly(amic diethyl ester) precursors: Miscibility,structure, and properties

Homogeneous precursor/precursor solutions with various compositions were obtained with appreciably high solid contents in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone from soluble poly(amic diethyl ester) precursors of rodlike poly(p-phenylene biphenyltetracarboximide) (BPDA-PDA) and flexible poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene biphenyltetracarboximide) (BPDA-ODA), which are hydrolytically more stable as well as more soluble than the corresponding poly(amic acid)s being equilibrated with the constituent monomers. Both optical microscopic and light scattering measurements showed that the dried precursor blend films and resultant polyimide composite films were optically transparent, regardless of compositions and process conditions. The composite films showed a single T_g behavior. However, for the composite of 30 wt % BPDA-PDA dispersed in the matrix of 70 wt % BPDA-ODA, a smectic crystalline-like aggregation of the BPDA-PDA component was detected on wide-angle x-ray diffraction patterns, indicative of microscopic phase separation between the two components. This phase separation was not detected on the optical microscopy, light scattering, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis because of their resolution limits: Optical microscopy has a resolution of submicrometers, whereas dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and light scattering have a resolution of ca. 50 Å. Therefore, it is speculated that in the composite films BPDA-PDA and BPDA-ODA polyimide molecules have demixed on the scale of a few nanometers. The mean long periodicity, which was estimated from the small-angle x-ray scattering pattern, varied from 134 to 170 Å as the content of BPDA-ODA component increased. In addition, mechanical properties of the composite films were characterized. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A dielectric study of poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate)–poly(vinyl chloride) blends. I. Miscibility and phase behavior

Measurements of the complex permittivity were used to study miscibility and phase behavior in blends of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with two random ethylene—vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers containing 45 and 70 wt % of vinyl acetate. The dielectric β relaxation of the pure polymers and blends was followed as a function of temperature and frequency for different blend compositions and thermal treatments. Blends of EVA 70/PVC were found to be miscible for compositions of about 25% EVA 70 and higher. Blends of lower EVA 70 content showed evidence of two-phase behavior. EVA 45/PVC blends were found to be miscible only at the composition extremes; at intermediate compositions these blends were two-phase, partially miscible. Both blend systems showed lower critical solution temperature behavior. Phase separation studies revealed that in the EVA 45/PVC blends, PVC was capable of diffusing into the higher T_g phase at temperatures below the T_g of the upper phase. In the blends, ion transport losses were significant above the loss peak temperatures, and in the two-phase systems, often obscured the upper temperature loss process. It was shown possible, however, to correct the loss curves for this transport contribution.     

A study of crystalline transitions in a thermoplastic polyimide

A new polyimide derived from 4,4′-isophthaloyldiphthalic anhydride (IDPA) and 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy-4′-benzoyl)benzene (1,3-BABB) having semicrystalline behavior was prepared at NASA Langley Research Center in 1987. The crystalline transitions of this thermoplastic polyimide have been studied. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) pattern of partially imidized film exhibited two distinct crystalline melt endotherms. For this study each crystalline phase was isolated and enhanced by controlled thermal treatment. A film containing approximately 50% of both phases and an amorphous film were also prepared. Evaluations of these films were performed by DSC, wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three distinct crystalline morphologies; ellipsoid, cubic, and needlelike embedded in an amorphous matrix were observed as a function of various cure conditions by SEM.     

Processing,mechanical properties,and fracture behavior of cereal protein/poly(hydroxyl ester ether) blends

Blends of poly(hydroxy ester ether) (PHEE), a recently developed bisphenol A ether‐based synthetic biodegradable thermoplastic polymer, with a soybean protein isolate and two hydrolyzed wheat glutens were studied. Blends of the proteins with PHEE were produced from 20 to 70% by weight of protein content. Young's moduli of the protein/PHEE blends fall in the range of 0.8–1.5 GPa with tensile strengths ranging from 10 to 30 MPa. Critical stress‐intensity factors of the blends ranged from 2 to 9 MPa‐m^1/2 depending on the amount of protein added. Morphological analysis indicated a moderate degree of adhesion between the protein and PHEE phases in the blends. In general, as the protein content was increased the materials lost ductility and failed in a brittle manner; however, the mechanical properties of several compositions were comparable to commercial thermoplastics such as polystyrene. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2324–2332, 2002     

Morphological development and rheological changes of phenoxy/SAN blends during in‐situ polymerization

This article reports the results of an investigation into the time‐dependent morphological and rheological changes that accompany the in‐situ polymerization of blends composed of poly(hydroxyether of bisphenol A) (phenoxy) and poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (SAN). The rheological behavior was monitored continuously during the in‐situ polymerization, whereas the miscibility and phase structure of blends formed in situ were examined at discrete stages of polymerization by differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy. In the blend with 30 wt % SAN, a co‐continuous blend morphology was associated with gradual changes in the dynamic moduli, suggesting that phase separation proceeded by spinodal decomposition (SD). In contrast, phenoxy‐rich dispersions were uniformly dispersed in a continuous SAN‐rich matrix in the blend with 50 wt % SAN, and the corresponding rheological signature revealed a sharp initial increase in the dynamic moduli, followed by slower growth after long times, indicative of phase separation via nucleation and growth (NG). The rheological property changes are closely related to morphology development and mechanisms of phase separation induced duringin‐situ polymerization. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2614–2619, 2007     

Studies on Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Blends

Blends of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in different compositions viz., 95/5, 90/10, 85/15 and 80/20 (by wt/wt, % of PMMA/TPU) were blended by melt mixing using a twin‐screw extruder. All the PMMA/TPU blends have been characterized for physico‐mechanical properties such as density, melt flow index, tensile behavior and izod impact strength. The impact strength of the PMMA/TPU blends were found to increase significantly with an increase in the percentage of TPU up to 20%, by retaining the tensile strength of PMMA. The effect of chemical aging on the performance of blends has been studied.     

Miscible blends of modified poly(aryl ether ketones) with aromatic polyimides

The phase behavior of binary blends of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), sulfonated PEEK, and sulfamidated PEEK with aromatic polyimides is reported. PEEK was determined to be immiscible with a poly(amide imide) (TORLON 4000T). Blends of sulfonated and sulfamidated PEEK with this poly(amide imide), however, are reported here to be miscible in all proportions. Blends of sulfonated PEEK and a poly(ether imide) (ULTEM 1000) are also reported to be miscible. Spectroscopic investigations of the intermolecular interactions suggest that formation of electron donoracceptor complexes between the sulfonated/sulfamidated phenylene rings of the PEEKs and the n-phenylene units of the polyimides are responsible for this miscibility. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Morphology and conduction properties of graphite‐filled immiscible PVDF/PPgMA blends

Graphite was dispersed in immiscible polyvinylidene fluoride/maleated polypropylene (PVDF/PPgMA) blends to improve electrical and thermal conductive properties by building a double‐percolation structure. The morphology of PVDF/PPgMA blends was first investigated for several compositions by selective solvent extraction, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Blends of PVDF and PPgMA were prepared in different relative fractions, and a PVDF/PPgMA ratio of 7/3 showed a well‐co‐continuous structure. From this blend, the morphology and properties of composites with different concentrations of graphite were investigated to prepare double‐percolated structures. Graphite was observed to selectively localize in the PPgMA phase. The electrical and thermal conductive properties of graphite‐containing blends were measured, showing enhanced conductivity for the double‐percolation structures compared with single‐polymer composites containing the same graphite loadings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

NMR and DSC investigations of the miscibility of blends of cis-1,4-polyisoprene with polybutadienes of different microstructures

Differential scanning calorimetry and torsional braid analysis investigations of the phase diagram of cis-1,4-polyisoprene/polybutadiene blends as a function of the polybutadiene microstructure were reported by several authors. Polybutadienes containing a high vinyl content were shown to be miscible with cis-1,4-polyisoprene on the DSC spatial scale, whereas polybutadienes containing a low vinyl content were immiscible. In this article, we used variable-temperature determinations of ¹H NMR free induction decays and low-temperature, high-resolution solid-state ¹³C NMR measurements of proton spin-lattice relaxation times in the rotating frame to probe the phase behavior of the cis-1,4-polyisoprene/polybutadiene blends at the smaller spatial scale of the NMR technique. Blends of cis-1,4-polyisoprene with a polybutadiene having a large number of vinyl 1,2 linkages appeared to be miscible on the molecular scale, in spite of small regions in which the polybutadiene component is not uniformily dispersed in the other polymer. On the contrary, blends in which the polybutadiene has a low content of vinyl 1,2 sequences were phase separated over the whole temperature range considered and no intermixed regions could be detected. The limiting case was observed with the polybutadiene containing 33 wt % vinyl 1,2 units, for which miscibility on a molecular scale is highly dependent on the blend composition. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Rheological study on structural transition in polyethersulfone‐modified bismaleimide resin during isothermal curing

The structural transition in the polyethersulfone (PES)‐modified bismaleimide resin, 4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane (BDM), during isothermal curing was studied by using rheological technique, different scanning calorimetry (DSC), and time resolved light scattering (TRLS). Comparing with the cure of neat bismaleimide, two separate tan δ crossover points were observed because of the phase separation during curing the blends of PES/BDM. These two structural transitions stemmed from the fixing of phase structure of the system and the chemical crosslinking of bismaleimide, respectively. The effect of curing temperature and the PES content on structural transition was discussed and found that the occurrence of two structural transition exhibited the different dependency of curing temperature and PES content. The relaxation exponent n and gel strength S were also found to be temperature‐dependent and composition‐dependent. Moreover, the relaxation exponent n of the second structural transition is much lower than that of the first structural transition in the PES/bismaleimide blends. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3102–3108, 2006     

X-ray scattering and thermal analysis study of the effects of molecular weight on phase structure in blends of poly(butylene terephthalate) with polycarbonate

Blends of Poly(butylene terephthalate), PBT, with Polycarbonate, PC, were studied for a range of molecular weights and blend compositions. Blends were available in PBT/PC compositions 80/20 and 40/60, and with M_w designated by H (high) or L (low). Samples were prepared by melt crystallization, or by cold crystallization following a rapid quench from the melt. Addition of PC reduces the crystallization kinetics of PBT so that the resulting crystals are more perfect than those which form in the homopolymer. Degree of crystallinity of the blends followed the rank ordering: L/L > L/H > H/L = H/H. The glass transition behavior was investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). All blends exhibited two glass transitions at intermediate temperatures between the T_gs of the homopolymers, indicating existence of a PBT-rich phase and a PC-rich phase. Blends L/L were most, and H/H the least, miscible. Small-angle X-ray scattering was performed at room temperature on cold crystallized blends, or at elevated temperature during melt crystallization. The long period was consistently larger, and the linear stack crystallinity was consistently smaller, in blends L/L or H/L. These results indicate that in blends containing low M_w PC, there is more PC located within the PBT-rich phase. The long period was consistently smaller in cold crystallized samples, while the linear stack crystallinity was nearly the same, regardless of melt or cold crystallization treatment. Reduction of the average long period in cold crystallized samples could result from crystallization of PBT within the PC-rich phase. This is consistent with thermal analysis results, which indicate that cold crystallized samples have greater overall crystallinity than melt crystallized samples. A hypothetical liquid phase diagram is presented to explain the differences between melt and cold crystallized blends. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure and properties of thin films of binary rodlike/flexible polyimide mixtures

Binary mixtures of a rodlike poly(p-phenylene pyromellitimide) (PMDA-PDA) and a flexible 6F-BDAF polyimide synthesized from hexafluoroisopropylidene diphthalic anhydride and 2,2-bis(4-aminophenoxy-p-phenylene) hexafluoropropane were prepared by solution-blending of the meta-PMDA-PDA poly(amic ethyl ester) and 6F-BDAF poly(amic acid) precursors, followed by solvent evaporation and thermal imidization. Mixtures containing different molecular weights of 6F-BDAF poly(amic acid) were studied. The size scale of the phase separation, as measured by light scattering, is ca. 1 μm or smaller in most cases. The domain size is primarily set by the demixing of the precursor polymers during solvent evaporation, with no significant coarsening observed during the thermal imidization. The observed variation of the domain size with molecular and process parameters such as composition, molecular weight, and film thickness is discussed in terms of the miscibility of the precursor polymers, rate of solvent evaporation, and solidification. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and dielectric relaxation measurements indicate that the glass transition temperature of 6F-BDAF is unaffected in all of the mixtures studied, indicating complete demixing of rodlike and flexible polyimides in agreement with theory. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show a strong surface segregation of 6F-BDAF in mixtures containing as low as 10% by weight of the 6F-BDAF component in the bulk. The mixtures with PMDA-PDA as the major matrix component therefore exhibit excellent mechanical toughness, dimensional stability up to 500°C, low coefficients of thermal expansion (< ca. 10 ppm/°C), and low dielectric constants (<3.0). On the other hand, the surface properties of the mixtures are dominated by the flexible 6F-BDAF, resulting in excellent polymer/polymer self-adhesion (lamination) properties between fully imidized films.     

Phase behavior and morphology in epoxy resin/poly(L-lactide) blends. Comparison with epoxy resin/poly(L,D-lactide) blends

Thermoset/thermoplastic blends were prepared with epoxy–aromatic diamine mixtures and poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), as semicrystalline thermoplastic, in concentrations ranging from 4 to 25 wt.%. In some cases, poly(L,D-lactide) (PDLLA), an amorphous thermoplastic, was used instead for comparative purposes. Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) was employed as epoxy resin and 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) as curing agent. Phase behavior and morphology were studied during curing at 140 °C. Initially, all blends were homogeneous; however, the curing reaction of the epoxy resin caused a liquid–liquid phase separation. A co-continuous morphology was formed at the beginning of the phase separation in all the considered blend compositions. Blends evolved to a particle/matrix structure or to a phase-inverted structure depending on the initial blend composition. At 140 °C, crystallization only occurred in blends with 16 and 25 wt.% PLLA. This crystallization originates changes in the surface of the epoxy-rich droplets developed with the phase separation.     

Thermal conductivity of poly(vinyl chloride)/polycaprolactone blends

Thermal diffusivity, heat capacity, and density of polyvinyl chloride/polycaprolactone (PVC/PCL) blends were measured by the laser flash method, DSC, and pycnometry, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the PVC/PCL blends was determined from the results. The miscibility of the blend and crystallinity of PCL were determined by DSC. The effect of blend structure on thermal conductivity is discussed. The phase compositions of the PVC/PCL blends are of three types depending on PCL content: i.e., up to 33%, from 33 to 70%, and above 70% PCL by weight. Thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and heat capacity of the PVC/PCL blends are strongly affected by the phase composition of the blend, which changes in a complicated way with PCL content. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Miscibility of poly(vinyl methyl ether) and poly(styrene-co-2-vinylnaphthalene) blends by FT-IR spectroscopy and Tg measurements

Miscibility of blends consisting of poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) and poly(styreneco-2-vinylnaphthalene) [P(S-co-2VN)] was investigated by means of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Copolymers containing 21, 51, and 84 wt % of styrene were synthesized by radical polymerization. Based on optical clarity and glass transition temperatures, it was shown that the miscibility in P(S-co-2VN)/PVME blends is largely affected by compositions of the copolymers as well as concentrations of the blend. From the FT-IR results, the relative intensity at 1100 cm^?1 peak of COCH₃ band of PVME and the position of naphthyl ring of 2VN were sensitive to the miscibility of the blends. It was observed that blends of PVME with P(S-co-2VN) of 84 wt % styrene or P(S-co-2VN) of 51 wt % styrene are miscible over the entire concentration ranges of the blends. Blends of PVME with P(S-co-2VN) containing 21 wt % of styrene are immiscible below 65 wt % PVME. In the miscible P(S-co-2VN)/PVME blends, there was observed a large shift in the naphthyl frequency at a characteristic wavelength of 748 cm^?1. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Rheology and phase separation in polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends

Blends of monodisperse polystyrene and poly(vinyl-methyl-ether) of various compositions were prepared from solution in benzene. Dynamic rheological properties of these blends were studied at different temperatures below, near, and above T_s, the temperature of phase separation, and in a frequency range from 0.05 to 100 rad/s. A flattening in the storage modulus and an initial plateau for the complex viscosity were observed near and above T_s in the low-frequency region; in contrast, below T_s the behavior of the blends was similar to that of the homopolymers. The WLF superposition principle applies only at temperatures below T_s, i.e., in the miscible and homogeneous region. G″ versus G′ representations for the blends were found to be independent of temperature and to vary with composition in the miscible region but are temperature and composition-dependent in the immiscible region. It is also shown that the η″ versus η′ representation is a useful tool for characterizing phase separation of blends and is more sensitive than the classical frequency dependence of the material functions.     

Thermal properties and toughness performance of hyperbranched‐polyimide‐modified epoxy resins

An amine‐terminated hyperbranched polyimide (HBPI) was prepared by the condensation polymerization of a commercially available triamine monomer with a dianhydride monomer. The effects of the HBPI content on the thermal and mechanical interfacial properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resins were investigated with several techniques. The thermogravimetric analysis results showed that the thermal stability of the DGEBA/HBPI blends did not obviously change as the HBPI content increased. The glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of the DGEBA/HBPI blends increased with the addition of HBPI. Improvements in the critical stress intensity factor (K_IC) and impact strength of the blends were observed with the addition of HBPI. The K_IC value and impact strength were 2.5 and 2 times the values of the neat epoxy resins with only 4 wt % HBPI. The fractured surfaces were studied with scanning electron microscopy to investigate the morphology of the blends, and they showed that shear deformation occurred to prevent the propagation of cracks in the DGEBA/HBPI blends. These results indicated that a toughness improvement was achieved without a decrease in the thermal stability or T_g. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3348–3356, 2006     

Preparation and properties of polybenzoxazine/poly(imide‐siloxane) alloys: In situ ring‐opening polymerization of benzoxazine in the presence of soluble poly(imide‐siloxane)s

Benzoxazine monomer (Ba) was blended with soluble poly(imide‐siloxane)s in various weight ratios. The soluble poly(imide‐siloxane)s with and without pendent phenolic groups were prepared from the reaction of 2,2′‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxylphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride with α,ω‐bis(aminopropyl)dimethylsiloxane oligomer (PDMS; molecular weight = 5000) and 3,3′‐dihydroxybenzidine (with OH group) or 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether (without OH group). The onset and maximum of the exotherm due to the ring‐opening polymerization for the pristine Ba appeared on differential scanning calorimetry curves around 200 and 240 °C, respectively. In the presence of poly(imide‐siloxane)s, the exothermic temperatures were lowered: the onset to 130–140 °C and the maximum to 210–220 °C. The exotherm due to the benzoxazine polymerization disappeared after curing at 240 °C for 1 h. Viscoelastic measurements of the cured blends containing poly(imide‐siloxane) with OH functionality showed two glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's), at a low temperature around ?55 °C and at a high temperature around 250–300 °C, displaying phase separation between PDMS and the combined phase consisting of polyimide and polybenzoxazine (PBa) components due to the formation of AB‐crosslinked polymer. For the blends containing poly(imide‐siloxane) without OH functionalities, however, in addition to the T_g due to PDMS, two T_g's were observed in high‐temperature ranges, 230–260 and 300–350 °C, indicating further phase separation between the polyimide and PBa components due to the formation of semi‐interpenetrating networks. In both cases, T_g increased with increasing poly(imide‐siloxane) content. Tensile measurements showed that the toughness of PBa was enhanced by the addition of poly(imide‐siloxane). Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of PBa also was enhanced by the addition of poly(imide‐siloxane). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2633–2641, 2001