| Abstract: | Thermoplastic elastomer gels (TPEGs) composed of a polystyrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene] triblock copolymer and a low-volatility, midblock-compatible mineral oil have been investigated at different oil concentrations to ascertain the effect of composition on TPEG morphology and mechanical properties. The impact of thermal processing is also examined by comparing gels thermally quenched to 0°C or slowly cooled to ambient temperature. Transmission electron micrographs reveal that gels with 70 to 90 wt % oil exhibit styrenic micelles measuring ca. 24 nm in diameter. Variation in composition or cooling rate does not have any perceivable effect on micelle size or shape, whereas the rate at which the gels are cooled influences the extent of microstructural order and the time to rupture (tR) at constant strain. Dynamic rheological testing confirms the presence of a physically crosslinked network at TPEG compositions ranging from 70 to 90 wt % oil, independent of cooling rate. Results presented here suggest that the dynamic elastic shear modulus (G′) scales as tαR where α varies from 0.41 to 0.59, depending on cooling rate. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. B Polym. Phys. 36: 2379–2391, 1998 |
