Adhesion and friction of PDMS networks: molecular weight effects

The objective of this work is to find relations between adherence and friction behaviors of elastomer networks. The chosen approach is based on the parallel study of the initial molecular weight (i.e., the degree of cross-linking) dependence of both adherence and friction. The polymers used are cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the substrate is a smooth glass plate. The experimental procedure uses both friction (pin on disk tribometer) and adhesion (tack test) measurements, associated with surface analysis and mechanical and rheological characterizations. Tack results show that high molecular weight PDMS exhibits the greater adherence energy. This can be explained by the role of both chain length and free and pendant chains: more numerous and longer free chains favor the substrate wetting (at a molecular scale) and increases the energy dissipation during separation (extraction and reptation mechanisms). However, friction results indicate a higher friction resistance for low molecular weight PDMS. This result could be quite surprising. An explanation based on interfacial sliding properties of free and pendant chains can be proposed. Elsewhere, for the lower molecular weight polymer, elastic contact present during friction is able to act as a forced wetting, constraining the network and consequently leading to a greater energy dissipation.     

Obturator and detonation experiments in the subdetonative ram accelerator

An experimental investigation has been undertaken to improve understanding of the role of the obturator and detonations in the subdetonative ram accelerator starting process. Ram accelerator start experiments were conducted with various obturator geometries to determine the obturator dynamics and assess its effect on the outcome of a start attempt. The obturator rapidly decelerates upon entrance and then moves backwards. Reversal of direction occurs more rapidly after propellant ignition, for less massive obturators, and solid geometries. Perforated geometries and decreasing obturator mass are less conducive to igniting a given propellant, as evidenced by the flowfield and start attempt outcome data presented. Wave unstarts were observed to occur with and without detonations, indicating more than one mechanism responsible for this type of start failure. Piston-initiated detonation experiments were conducted by firing the obturators without the ram accelerator projectile. The piston experiments identified the detonation limits for a wide range of propellants, but were found to not always be indicative of the upper Mach number at which a ram accelerator can be successfully started. In some instances a successful start or wave fall-off would occur at Mach numbers above which a piston alone detonated the propellant. Thus, the projectile can play a mitigating role in detonation initiation and use of piston detonation limits to quantitatively define a detonation wave unstart limit was not realized. Received 6 April 1998 / Accepted 15 January 1999     

Kinetics of fiber heat treatment. III Poly(butylene terephthalate) fibers

Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS), shrinkage, and density experiments were performed on poly(butylene terephthalate) fibers which had been isothermally crystallized at different temperatures, and at constant tension, for times ranging from 100 to 1050 ms. A consistent correlation among WAXS, SAXS, and the kinetic results is demonstrated. Shrinkage results show that the crystallization process prevails over the chain-re-coiling process. Density measurements show that the rate of crystallization increases with temperature. Pinhole X-ray photos show that the orientation of the chains within the crystals remains constant with time and temperature. WAXS diffractometer scans show the development of wide-angle Bragg peaks. SAXS shows the development of small-angle Bragg peaks, as the annealing time is increased. The two-lobe arced pattern is the characteristic pattern. The value for long spacing ranged from 100 to 120 Å, increasing with temperature.