Iranian Polymer Journal
Year:2014 | Volume:23 | Issue:6|Papers Count:7

The objective of this work was to study the compatibilizer effect on polypropylene (PP) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. The blends were coextruded and injection molded in various ratios of ABS with and without compatibilizers. Universal testing machine was employed to analyze the tensile properties of basic PP/ABS binary blends. From the mechanical testing, the impact and tensile properties of PP/ABS blend were optimized at 80/20 weight ratio. Various compatibilizers such as PP-g-MAH, SEBS-g-MAH and ethylene a-olefin copolymer were used and their comparative performance on binary blend was enumerated. Hybrid compatibilization effect was also studied and reported. However, the addition of compatibilizers showed the maximum increase in impact strength attributed to rubber toughening effect of ABS. The effect of compatibilizers on morphological properties was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM micrographs depicted the more efficient dispersion of ABS particles in PP matrix with the addition of compatibilizers. Further, interparticle distance analysis was carried out to evaluate the rubber toughening effect. The ABS droplet size in compatibilized PP/ABS blend was brought to minimum of 3.2 mm from 9.9 mm with the addition of compatibilizers. The melt rheology of PP/ABS blend systems was investigated through parallel plate arrangement in frequency sweep. Linear viscoelastic properties like storage (G') and loss (G") modulus and complex viscosity (h*) have been reported with reference to the virgin materials. It is understood that the combination of compatibilizers (hybrid compatibilizer) had a considerable effect on the overall blend properties.

In this work, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and PMMA/nanoclay nanocomposite microcellular foams were successfully prepared using a simple method based on in situ generation of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) from dry ice. The method was compared with conventional methods exempted from high pressure pump and a separate CO2 tank. Effect of various processing conditions such as saturation temperature and pressure and clay concentration on cellular morphology and hardness of the prepared microcellular foams was examined. State of the clay dispersion in the prepared PMMA/clay nanocomposites was characterized using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to study cellular morphology of the prepared foams. It was observed that elevation of saturation temperature from 85 to 105oC at constant saturation pressure increased cell density and decreased average cell size of the prepared PMMA foams. Furthermore, an increase in saturation pressure from 120 to 180 bar resulted in a reduction in average cell diameter and an increase in cell density of the prepared PMMA foams. On the basis of the gathered results, optimum conditions for preparation of PMMA microcellular foams were determined and applied for preparation of PMMA/nanoclay microcellular foams. It was shown that incorporation of clay into the polymer matrix resulted in a finer and more uniform cellular morphology in the final microcellular foams. It was also observed that incorporation of nanoclay into the prepared foams, up to 3 wt%, led to a moderate increase in the foam hardness.

The optical, thermal and electrical behavior of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composite are studied as a function of SWCNTs concentration. The nanocomposites were prepared in the form of films by solution casting technique. The concentrations of SWCNTs in SWCNTs/PMMA films were 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt%. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that SWCNTs doped in PMMA is less fragmented as compared to the powder SWCNTs. This is due to the interactions with polymers as well as the fabrication method. X-ray diffraction patterns of SWCNTs/PMMA composite films indicated that there is no covalent interaction between SWCNTs and PMMA. In addition, it demonstrates a homogeneous dispersion of SWCNTs in PMMA matrix. The optical properties of SWCNTs/PMMA films of SWCNTs concentration from 0 to 2.0 wt% have shown that the absorption intensity of the composite was enhanced »8.5 times as compared to the plain PMMA. Photoacoustic spectroscopy technique was used as a powerful and non-destructive tool to determine the thermal diffusivity (a), thermal effusivity (e) and thermal conductivity (k). The composites exhibited »160% improvement in k at 2.0 wt%. Furthermore, the DC electrical conductivity measurements of SWCNTs/PMMA showed that the percolation threshold value was about 2.0 wt% of SWCNTs loading.

A novel epoxy chain-end(s) functional polystyrene macromonomer (PSt-CHO) was prepared via free radical polymerization (FRP) of styrene (St) initiated by 4,4′-azobis(3-cyclohexenylmethyl-4-cyanopentanoate) (ACCP) azo initiator and epoxidation on workup with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid under inert atmosphere in methylene chloride at 0oC. 4,4'-Azobis(4-cyanopentanoyl chloride) (ACPC) was obtained by the reaction of 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid) (ACPA) with phosphorus pentachloride in methylene chloride. The ACCP was synthesized by the condensation reaction of 3-cyclohexene-1-methanol with ACPC. The FRP of styrene with ACCP has yielded polystyrene with cyclohexene end(s) group (PSt-CH). Epoxidation of the PSt-CH was performed using 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid to obtain epoxy chain-end(s) functional polystyrene macromonomer (PSt-CHO). This macromonomer was used as precursor in photoinitiated cationic polymerization for obtaining brush-type and graft copolymers. Photoinitiated cationic homopolymerization of the macromonomer in the presence of diphenyliodonium salt at l= 300 nm yielded brush-type polymers. Photoinitiated cationic copolymerization of the macromonomer with cyclohexene oxide (CHO) monomer and diphenyliodonium salt at l= 350 nm produced graft copolymers. The polymers synthesized were characterized by means of FTIR, 1HNMR and gel permeation chromatography measurements. All the spectroscopic studies revealed that a macromonomer of polystyrene with cyclohexene oxide (CHO) functionality at the chain end(s) (PSt-CHO) and their brush-type and graft copolymers were obtained.

The present work aims to enhance thermal stability and flame retardancy of the epoxy/glass composites containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs). To achieve this purpose ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as a micro filler and montmorillonite (MMT) as nanofiller have been used. Since good dispersion is necessary to achieve thermal and flame resistivity in nanocomposites, it was found that combination of ultrasonication and high shear flow can result in a good dispersion of nanoparticles in polymer matrix. Thus, all samples were prepared according to this method. In order to study thermal resistance and flame retardancy of the samples, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and limiting oxygen index (LOI) have been employed, respectively. TGA results showed that combination of 0.5 wt% CNTs with either 5 wt% MMT or 15 wt% APP can increase the initial thermal decomposition temperature up to 62oC for the former polymer composite and 47oC for the latter one. Overall stabilization effect (OSE) and integral procedure decomposition temperature (IPDT) parameters have also been calculated from TGA data. These results showed that the sample containing a combination of APP and CNT has the highest value of OSE. Moreover, IPDT of this sample has increased about 9% compared with the neat epoxy. LOI of the samples showed that the addition of MMT and CNTs together could increase LOI about 8% and introduction of APP to these samples increased LOI about 10%, as well.

Many engineering components in aerospace structures which are made from polymer composite materials are often damaged during service life due to hail ice and bird impact. This study examines the damage which may be incurred by a single and repeated high-velocity impact of 11.7 g cylindrical-shaped ice on glass fiber/epoxy laminated composite panels carried out on a 20-mm diameter smooth barrel gas gun. The laminates were made from E-glass fiber/epoxy resin with 0.90, ±45, chopped strand mat (CSM) and unidirectional fiber orientation and in different stacking sequence. The impact velocity was in the range of 130–140 m/s and the resulting damage extension zones from ice projectile impacts were measured. Damage extension was successfully identified in all specimens subjected to high-velocity ice projectile impact. Results showed specimens with ±45 orientation and CSM fiber exhibited the lowest damage extension. The results also revealed that specimens with plain weave 0.90 lay-up of glass woven roving show the highest damage extension. Extended damages were observed in composite panels under repeated ice projectile impacts. Study of the stacking sequence effect indicated significant role played by presence of ±45 reinforcement in reducing the damage extension in the laminated plates. Delamination constituted the major damage mechanism for most specimens tested followed by matrix and fiber fracture.

Various kinds of nano-SiO2 using different catalysts were obtained and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique. The results showed that the nano-SiO2 using NH3.H2O as catalyst presented the best morphology. Poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) based composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) membranes doped with different contents of nano-SiO2 were prepared by phase inversion method. The as-prepared CPE membranes were immersed into 1.0 M LiPF6-EC/DMC/EMC electrolytes for 0.5 h to be activated. The physicochemical and electrochemical properties of the CPEs were characterized by SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) techniques. The results indicate that the CPEs doped with 10 % nano-SiO2 exhibit the best performance. SEM micrographs showed that the CPE membranes have uniform surface with abundant interconnected micro-pores, and the uptake ratio was up to 104.4 wt%. EIS and LSV analysis also showed that the ionic conductivity at room temperature and electrochemical stability window of the modified membrane can reach 3.372 mS cm-1 and 4.7 V, respectively. The interfacial resistance R i was 670 W cm-2 in the first day, then increased to a stable value of about 850 W cm-2 in 10 days storage at room temperature. The Li/As-fabricated CPEs/LiCoO2 cell also showed good charge-discharge performance, which suggested that the prepared CPE membranes can be used as potential electrolytes for lithium ion batteries.