Morphology, elastomers blends

The effect of MMT content and PP molecular weight on the elastomer morphology in PP/PP-g-MA/MMT/EOR nanocomposites is shown in Fig. 17.11. The elastomer particles are large with a mixture of spherical and elongated shapes in L-PP/EOR blend or mostly spherical shapes in the H-PP/EOR blend without MMT and become small and mostly elongated in the presence of MMT in both L-PP- and H-PP-based nanocomposites. The nonspherical nature of elastomer particles is... 

M. Ono, K. Nakajima, T. Nishi, Nano-physical properties in polyolefin and elastomer blend consisting of different elastomer morphologies. Polymer Preprints, Japan 55 (2) (2006) 3598. 

Morphology (blends. — Elastomer content < 60% Dispersed phase (11)... 

Verma, G., et ai, PBT/thermoplastic elastomer blends - Mechanical, morphological, and rheological characterization. Polymer - Plastics Technology and Engineering, 47(10) p. 969. 2008. 

The strength of the interfacial adhesion, for example, may be improved through the addition of compatibilizers, which decrease interfacial tension between the two phases, reduce elastomer domain size and improve the stability of elastomer morphology [7]. The use of compatibilizers, however, may not be practical for some TPO blends due to unfavorable cost versus performance issues. It has also... 

Unfortunately, injection molders typically run then-processes at temperatures between 190-240°C in order to improve flow and processability of the material and to shorten cycle time. Molding at these higher temperatures may have a negative impact on the elastomer morphology and thus affect the physical properties of the TPO blend. 

Butadiene copolymers are mainly prepared to yield mbbers (see Styrene-butadiene rubber). Many commercially significant latex paints are based on styrene—butadiene copolymers (see Coatings Paint). In latex paint the weight ratio S B is usually 60 40 with high conversion. Most of the block copolymers prepared by anionic catalysts, eg, butyUithium, are also elastomers. However, some of these block copolymers are thermoplastic mbbers, which behave like cross-linked mbbers at room temperature but show regular thermoplastic flow at elevated temperatures (45,46). Diblock (styrene—butadiene (SB)) and triblock (styrene—butadiene—styrene (SBS)) copolymers are commercially available. Typically, they are blended with PS to achieve a desirable property, eg, improved clarity/flexibiHty (see Polymerblends) (46). These block copolymers represent a class of new and interesting polymeric materials (47,48). Of particular interest are their morphologies (49—52), solution properties (53,54), and mechanical behavior (55,56). 

Unlike incompatible heterogeneous blends of elastomer-elastomer, elastomer-plastic, and plastic-plastic, the reactively processed heterogeneous blends are expected to develop a variable extent of chemical interaction. For this reason the material properties, interfacial properties, and phase morphology of reactively processed blends would differ significantly from heterogeneous mixtures. 

As shown in Fig. IIB, dispersion morphology for the nylon 6/Vectra B/SA-g-EPDM blend was totally different from that of the PBT-Vectra A-SA-g-EPDM blend. TLCP phases were very uniformly and finely dispersed in the nylon 6-Vectra B-SA-g-EPDM blend and a large fibril shape observed in the PBT-Vectra A-SA-g-EPDM blend could not be seen under polarized microscope. It should be noted that the size of the dispersed TLCP phase is very small (submicron size). This small size of the TLCP phase in the nylon 6/elastomer matrix was not observed by any others [4,54,55,58]. A closer look by SEM more clearly revealed the dispersion of Vectra B in the matrix (Fig. 12B). TLCP phases are very... 

Kader M.A., Bhowmick A.K., Inoue T., and Chiba T. Morphology, mechanical and thermal behavior of acrylate rubber/fluorocarbon elastomer/poly aery late blends, J. Mat Sci., 37, 6789, 2002. 

Since most polymers, including elastomers, are immiscible with each other, their blends undergo phase separation with poor adhesion between the matrix and dispersed phase. The properties of such blends are often poorer than the individual components. At the same time, it is often desired to combine the process and performance characteristics of two or more polymers, to develop industrially useful products. This is accomplished by compatibilizing the blend, either by adding a third component, called compatibilizer, or by chemically or mechanically enhancing the interaction of the two-component polymers. The ultimate objective is to develop a morphology that will allow smooth stress transfer from one phase to the other and allow the product to resist failure under multiple stresses. In case of elastomer blends, compatibilization is especially useful to aid uniform distribution of fillers, curatives, and plasticizers to obtain a morphologically and mechanically sound product. Compatibilization of elastomeric blends is accomplished in two ways, mechanically and chemically. 

Such soft-touch materials are usually TP Vs or thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) which combine the moldability of thermoplastics in the melt state with elasticity, lower hardness, fracture resistance, and surface characteristics of elastomers. However, plastics and elastomers respond differently to mechanical stress. Hence, both rheological behavior and mechanical strength will to a large extent depend on the morphology of the blend which may change with change in the composition. 

Wang, W. and Zheng, Q. The Dynamic Rheological Behavior and Morphology of Nylon/Elastomers Blends, J. Mater. Set Lett. 40, 2005. 

Akhtar, S. Morphology and Physical Properties of Thin Films of Thermoplastic Elastomers from Blends of Natural Ruhher and Polyethylene, Rubber Chem. Technol. 61, 599-583, 1988. 

Galuska, A.A., Poulter, R.R., and McElrath, K.O., Eorce modulation AEM of elastomer blends Morphology, fillers and cross-hnking. Surf. Interface Anal., 25, 418, 1997. 

The effect of °Co y-ray irradiation on the mechanical properties, surface morphology, and fractography of blends of plasticized PVC and thermoplastic copolyester elastomer, Hytrel (E.I. Du Pont de Nemours Company, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware), have been studied by Thomas et al. [445]. Radiation has two major effects on the blend cross-linking of the Hytrel phase and degradation of PVC phase. Both effects are found more prominent at higher radiation dose. 

TPEs from thermoplastics-mbber blends are materials having the characteristics of thermoplastics at processing temperature and that of elastomers at service temperature. This unique combination of properties of vulcanized mbber and the easy processability of thermoplastics bridges the gap between conventional elastomers and thermoplastics. Cross-linking of the mbber phase by dynamic vulcanization improves the properties of the TPE. The key factor that controls the properties of TPE is the blend morphology. It is essential that in a continuous plastic phase, the mbber phase should be dispersed uniformly, and the finer the dispersed phase the better are the properties. A number of TPEs from dynamically vulcanized mbber-plastic blends have been developed by Bhowmick and coworkers [98-102]. 

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