A fractal model of reinforcement of elastoplastic nanocomposites

Within the framework of fractal analysis and percolation theory, an alternative model of reinforcement of filled polymers is offered. Practically, this model can be used only to describe the reinforcement of nanocomposites, because, according to the treatment considered, a pronounced reinforcement can be reached only at ratios of filler particle diameter to the statistical segment length of about 10 and less. A theoretical calculation showed a good qualitative and quantitative agreement with experiments. The type of reinforcement mechanism of composites is determined by the type of the space (fractal or Euclidean) in which the structure of the polymeric matrix is formed. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 797–802, November–Decem ber, 2006.     

Divinylsiloxane‐bisbenzocyclobutene‐based polymer modified with polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymers

Divinylsiloxane‐bisbenzocyclobutene (DVS‐bisBCB) polymer has very low dielectric constant and dissipation factor, good thermal stability, and high chemical resistance. The fracture toughness of the thermoset polymer is moderate due to its high crosslink density. A thermoplastic elastomer, polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymer, was incorporated into the matrix to enhance its toughness. The cured thermoset matrix showed different morphology when the elastomer was added to the B‐staged prepolymer or when the elastomer was B‐staged with the DVS‐bisBCB monomer. Small and uniformly distributed elastomer domains were detected by transmission electron micrographs (TEM) in the former case, but TEM did not detect a separate domain in the latter case. A high percentage of the polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymer could be incorporated into the DVS‐bisBCB thermoset matrix by B‐staging the triblock copolymer with the BCB monomer. The elastomer increased the fracture toughness of DVS‐bisBCB polymer as indicated by enhanced elongation at break and increased K1c values obtained by the modified edge‐lift‐off test. Elastomer modified DVS‐bisBCB maintained excellent electrical properties, high T_g and good thermal stability, but showed higher coefficient of linear thermal expansion values. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1591–1599, 2006     

A new synthetic pathway of segmented tri-block copolyether

A new synthetic pathway of A–B–A tri-block copolyether which is composed of a hydrophilic poly(oxyethylene) unit as an A part and a hydrophobic poly(oxy-2-methyl-trimethylene) unit as a B part is proposed. Telechelic α-tosyl-ω-tosyloxypoly(oxy-2-methyl-trimethylene) derived from tosylation of poly(oxy-2-methyl-trimethylene glycol) (PMTG) was allowed to react with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in the presence of sodium hydroxide. T_g of the resulting A–B–A tri-block copolyether (PEMG) (M?_n = 1600) was ?72°C and its specific gravity [D₄¹⁵] was 1.055.     

A conductive elastomer based on EPDM and polyaniline: II. Effect of the crosslinking method

Electrically conductive heterogeneous binary polymer blends based on ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) and polyaniline (PAni) were prepared in a Haake Rheocord 90 rheometer, coupled with an internal mixer (counter rotating cam rotors) using different amounts of PAni doped with dodecylbenzenosulfonic acid (DBSA). Blends were crosslinked using two methods: (i) phenolic resin (SP-1045) as crosslinking agent and (ii) electron beam irradiation. The last method avoids the interference of the acid dopant in the crosslinking process and produces blends with higher conductivity.     

交联助剂对PPC／NBR弹性体结构和性能的影响

研究了马来酸酐（ＭＡ）及异氰脲酸三烯丙酯（ＴＡＩＣ）对聚丙撑碳酸酯／丁腈橡胶共混弹性体结构和性能的影响，发出加入ＭＡ或ＴＡＩＣ能有效地改善交联网络；加入适量ＭＡ能显著改善共混弹性体热氧老化稳定性；加入ＴＡＩＣ使共混弹性体具有优良的高弹特性和力学性能。     

The distribution coefficient of oil and curing agent in PP/EPDM TPV

The distribution coefficients of oil and curing agent in PP/EPDM TPV were calculated by measuring the melting point of the PP phase using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The PP/EPDM TPV was prepared by using a twin screw extruder and a peroxide curing agent was used. The peroxide induces the degradation of PP, resulting in the decrease of T_m. The oil in PP phase also decreases the Tm. Based on the T_m difference among pure PP and PP/EPDM TPV before and after extraction by cylcohexane, the calculated oil distribution coefficient is 0.537. The addition sequence of PP, oil, and curing agent has a significant effect on the T_m and the calculated curing agent distribution coefficient is 0.52. Both of the coefficients are less than 1. Based on the calculation of the two coefficients, a rationale design of thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) can be made by proper control of raw materials, addition sequence, and processing parameters. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Orientation of a chiral smectic C elastomer by mechanical fields

It is well known that, with respect to the director, nematic elastomers can be macroscopically aligned by uniaxial mechanical fields. Extending this method to a chiral smectic C elastomer, depending on the experimental set-up either smectic layer orientation or director orientation parallel to the stress axis occurs. In order to align the director and the smectic layers a biaxial mechanical field (e.g. shear field) consistent with the phase symmetry has to be used to achieve a macroscopically uniform orientation of the untwisted smectic C^* structure.     

离子导体驱动的介电弹性体软机器研究进展

基于介电弹性体的软机器在柔性机器人、能量收集、柔性电子等领域有着广泛的应用.传统的介电弹性器件由不透明的流体碳膏电极或其他硬材料制作的电子导体来驱动.可拉伸透明离子导体作为电极驱动介电弹性体时,两种软材料互相结合,为软机器提供了一种独特的实现方式.论文综述了离子导体驱动的介电弹性体软机器的近期研究进展,展望了未来的研究方向和存在的问题.     

乙烯-辛烯共聚物/淀粉共混体系的非等温结晶动力学

通过差示扫描量热仪(DSC)研究了乙烯-辛烯共聚物/淀粉共混体系的非等温结晶动力学,用Jeziorny和Ozawa方程描述了结晶动力学过程.共混物的结晶温度和结晶焓强烈依赖于淀粉含量和冷却速率.结果表明,随着冷却速率的增加,每个试样的结晶放热曲线均变宽,并向低温区移动.当温度一定高时,所有试样均具有较快的结晶速率. Jeniorzy方程可以较好地描述POE/淀粉共混物的非等温结晶模式,而Ozawa方程对于POE/淀粉共混体系不太适合.     

Contraction of side-on nematic liquid crystalline elastomers micropillars: Influence of molecular parameters

We investigated the structure-property relationship of nematic liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) actuators obtained from a series of nematic side-on monomers. The liquid crystalline acrylate monomers were designed and synthesized with different tail lengths. Combining a soft lithography technique with photo-polymerization/photo-crosslinking of aligned nematic liquid crystalline monomers and crosslinkers, nematic LCE micropillars were obtained, based on the new monomers. Through microscopic observation, influence of some structural parameters on the thermo-mechanical behavior of the micropillars was investigated. The thermo-mechanical behavior of the LCEs showed a close correlation with to the tail length of the monomer and the spacer length of the crosslinker.