Viscoelastic behavior of polypropylene/nitrile rubber thermoplastic elastomer blends: Application of Kerner's models for reactively compatibilized and dynamically vulcanized systems

The viscoelastic properties of binary blends of nitrile rubber (NBR) and isotactic polypropylene (PP) of different compositions have been calculated with mean‐field theories developed by Kerner. The phase morphology and geometry have been assumed, and experimental data for the component polymers over a wide temperature range have been used. Hashin's elastic–viscoelastic analogy principle is used in applying Kerner's theory of elastic systems for viscoelastic materials, namely, polymer blends. The two theoretical models used are the discrete particle model (which assumes one component as dispersed inclusions in the matrix of the other) and the polyaggregate model (in which no matrix phase but a cocontinuous structure of the two is postulated). A solution method for the coupled equations of the polyaggregate model, considering Poisson's ratio as a complex parameter, is deduced. The viscoelastic properties are determined in terms of the small‐strain dynamic storage modulus and loss tangent with a Rheovibron DDV viscoelastometer for the blends and the component polymers. Theoretical calculations are compared with the experimental small‐strain dynamic mechanical properties of the blends and their morphological characterizations. Predictions are also compared with the experimental mechanical properties of compatibilized and dynamically cured 70/30 PP/NBR blends. The results computed with the discrete particle model with PP as the matrix compare well with the experimental results for 30/70, 70/30, and 50/50 PP/NBR blends. For 70/30 and 50/50 blends, these predictions are supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations. However, for 30/70 blends, the predictions are not in agreement with SEM results, which reveal a cocontinuous blend of the two. Predictions of the discrete particle model are poor with NBR as the matrix for all three volume fractions. A closer agreement of the predicted results for a 70/30 PP/NBR blend and the properties of a 1% maleic anhydride modified PP or 3% phenolic‐modified PP compatibilized 70/30 PP/NBR blend in the lower temperature zone has been observed. This may be explained by improved interfacial adhesion and stable phase morphology. A mixed‐cure dynamically vulcanized system gave a better agreement with the predictions with PP as the matrix than the peroxide, sulfur, and unvulcanized systems. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1417–1432, 2004     

THERMAL AND THERMO-ELASTIC-PLASTIC RESPONSE OF CERAMIC-METAL FUNCTIONALLY GRADED MATERIALS—THERMAL SHOCK PROBLEM

The thermal and thermo-elastic-plastic response of newly developed ceramic-metalfunctionally graded materials under a thermal shock load is studied.The materials are heated at the ce-ramic surface with a sudden high-intensity heat flux input,and cooled at the metal surface with aflowing liquid nitrogen.Emphasis is placed on two aspects:(1)the influence of the graded composi-tion of the materials on the temperature and stress response;and(2)the optimum design of the gradedcomposition from a unified viewpoint of the heat insulation property and stress relaxation property.Moreover,a comparison between the thermoelastic stress and the thermo-elastic-plastic stress is alsomade to indicate the plasticity effect.     

Numerical analysis for the periodic response of nonsmooth dynamic systems of high-dimension

This paper deals with the numerical solution of high dimensional dynamic systems with nonsmooth characteristics, such as structural elastoplasticity, mechanical clearance and dry friction. As a stable periodic response of the system attracts its transient response, it may be extracted from the transient response somehow. The paper suggests a novel iteration scheme to extrapolate the periodic response from a short time history of its transient response by curve fitting. Compared with the current schemes such as shooting and incremental harmonic balancing, the present scheme makes full use of the information within the transient response and the system characters, then its computation efficiency has increased by an order and the numerical convergence depending on the initial iteration has greatly improved.The subject supported by the Chinese Foundation of Aeronautical Science     

The response of microstructure to processing in a series of poly(siloxaneimide) copolymers

Poly(siloxaneimide) (PSI) segmented copolymers exhibit organized microdomains if the blocks are sufficiently incompatible. As with neat diblock and triblock copolymers, the processing route employed to prepare films of PSI materials is expected to influence the dimensions and/or morphology of the resultant microstructure. In this work, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is utilized to characterize the disordered microstructure found in films of a series of PSI copolymers which are subjected to solvent casting and various thermal treatments. Microstructural dimensions such as the periodicity and correlation length are deduced from the Teubner-Strey (TS) model for disordered microemulsions. The scattering intensity of each copolymer up to q = 5.0 nm^?1, where q is the scattering vector, is found to scale as q^?2.8+?0.1. Results indicate that processing the materials as cast films or as melt-pressed films allowed to cool slowly has a small, but discernible, effect on microstructural characteristics. SANS profiles of films quenched from elevated temperatures reveal a clear transition in microdomain periodicity, which correlates well with the glass transition temperature of the imide microphase in these and other materials of similar chemical structure. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Viscoelasticity and birefringence of polyisoprene

The complex Young's modulus, E^*(ω), and the complex strain-optical coefficient, O^*(ω), which is the ratio of the birefringence to the strain, were measured for polyisoprene (PIP) over a frequency range of 1 ～ 130 Hz and a temperature range of 22 ～ ?100°C. The imaginary part of O^*, O″, was positive at low frequencies and negative at high frequencies. The real part, O′, was always positive and showed a maximum. The complicated behavior of O^* could be understood by the assumption that E^* = E_R^* + E_G^* and O^* = C_RE_R^* + C_GE_G^*, where E_R^* and E_G^* were complex quantities and C_R and C_G were constants. The C_R value, equal to the ordinary stress-optical coefficient measured in the rubbery plateau zone, was 2.0 × 10^?9 Pa^?1. The C_G value, defined as the ratio O″/E″ in the glassy zone, was ?1.1 × 10^?11 Pa^?1. The E_G^*, which was the major component of E^* in the glassy zone, showed almost the same frequency dependence as that of polystyrene and polycarbonate. The E_R^*, which was dominant in the rubbery zone, was described well by the bead-spring theory. The temperature dependence of the E_G^* was stronger than that of the E_R^*. This difference caused the breakdown of the thermorheological simplicity for E^* and O^* around the glass-to-rubber transition zone. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

PHASE INVERSION AND ITS MECHANICAL MODEL STUDIES FOR THE TWO-PHASE POLYMER BLEND SYSTEMS (Ⅱ)——DYNAMIC VISCOELASTIC RESPONSE

The dynamic viscoelastic response of the two-phase polymer blend systems shows the characteristics of the thermorheologically complex materials. In this paper theoretical equations for describing the dynamic viscoelastic response of such polymer blend systems have been established by means of the mechanical modeling technique. The dynamic viscoelastic response of the blend systems at any blend composition can be predicted theoretically by using the equations established, provided that the dynamic viscoelastic response of the two pure components and the mechanical model parameters are known in advance. Thus, we provide an effective method for studying the dynamic mechanical properties and the molecular relaxation characteristics of the two-phase polymer blend systems.     

Effect of Neck Formation on the Measurement of Dynamic Interfacial Tension in a Drop Volume Tensiometer

Dynamic interfacial tension values obtained by drop volume tensiometry will be affected under certain experimental conditions by the formation of a neck between the drop and the capillary tip. This phenomenon must be accounted for to obtain accurate values of interfacial tension. In this work, neck formation for a water–mineral oil system is studied under conditions where hydrodynamic effects can be neglected. A model originally developed for the determination of the surface tension of a suspended drop is modified for application to dynamic interfacial tensions of surfactant-containing liquids. The model relates apparent values of interfacial tension calculated from drops possessing necks to actual values. Experiments with Span 80 (sorbitan monooleate) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants in a mineral oil–water system are used to test the validity of the developed model. For the small tip diameter used, good agreement is obtained for Span 80 up to the critical micelle concentration, and for low concentrations of SDS, when the surfactant adsorption is diffusion-limited. In both cases, the neck diameter of the growing drop can be considered constant over the range of dynamic interfacial tensions tested.     

Thermodynamic studies of some 1,2,4-triazole derivatives in DMF and THF solutions at 308.15 K

Some new 1,2,4-triazole derivatives have been synthesized and characterized by TLC, IR, NMR and mass spectra. Densities, viscosities and ultrasonic velocities of these compounds have been measured over the wide composition range at 308.15?K in dimethyl formamide (DMF) and tetrahydro furan (THF). From these data, various acoustical and thermodynamic parameters (C.V. Suryanarayana, J. Kuppuswamy. J. Acoust. Soc. Ind., 4, 75 (1976); H. Erying, M.S. John, Significance of Liquid Structures, Wiley, New York (1969); G.K. Johri, R.C. Misra. Acustica, 56, 66 (1989)) were evaluated. Some of these parameters are isentropic compressibility (κ_s), intermolecular free length (L _f), relaxation strength (r), relative association (R _A), Rao's molar constant (R _m), van der Waal's constant (b), molar compressibility (W), internal pressure (π), free volume (V _f), solvation number (S _n) etc. The behavior of solutions of these compounds in DMF and THF are explained from the evaluated parameters.     

A multichannel and multiple position adaptive room response equalizer in warped domain: Real-time implementation and performance evaluation

Room response equalization systems are used for improving the listening experience in cinema theatres, home theatres, car hi-fi systems. In this paper, an adaptive multichannel and multiple position room response equalization system and its real-time implementation are described. An adaptive and accurate estimation of the room responses is provided introducing a normalized least mean square optimization approach with a variable step-size, and taking advantage of an interchannel coherence reduction technique based on the missing fundamental phenomenon. Then, the equalizer is designed in warp frequency domain for improving equalization in the low frequency region, reducing the computational cost of the design procedure, and deriving an algorithm capable of working in real time. Indeed, a real-time implementation of the proposed adaptive equalizer has been obtained on NU-Tech framework and has been used in order to provide a deep objective and subjective evaluation of the equalization system. The results of these evaluations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, also in comparison with other techniques of the state of the art.     

Reflecting a single attosecond pulse by using periodic Mo/Si multilayer mirrors with different layers

The reflecting of a single attosecond pulse from a periodic Mo/Si multilayer was investigated. By changing the number of bi-layers, the periodic multilayer showed greatly different spectral and temporal responses of the attosecond pulse reflection, which has been discussed in detail in this paper. The capability of attosecond pulse reflection of the periodic multilayers with different bi-layer numbers has been evaluated using suitable temporal parameters. In addition, the condition for obtaining high-efficiency reflected pulses has been analyzed by comparing the pulse responses of the periodic multilayer with different layers. The transfer-matrix method together with the fast Fourier transform has been used in our simulation.