Coalescence reactivity

Aqueous dispersions are alternatives to solutions of Hquid and soHd resins. They are usuaUy offered in 50% soHds and may contain thickeners and cosolvents as stabilizers and to promote coalescence. Both heat-reactive (resole) and nonheat-reactive (novolak) systems exist that contain unsubstituted or substituted phenols or mixtures. A related technology produces large, stable particles that can be isolated as discrete particles (44). In aqueous dispersion, the resin stmcture is designed to produce a hydrophobic polymer, which is stabilized in water by an interfacial agent. 

Redispersion of gas compensates for coalescence and pressure effects negligible depletion of the reactive component or else a high level of inerts are present in the gas phase... 

Direct insertion probe pyrolysis mass spectrometry (DPMS) utilises a device for introducing a single sample of a solid or liquid, usually contained in a quartz or other non-reactive sample holder, into a mass spectrometer ion source. A direct insertion probe consists of a shaft having a sample holder at one end [70] the probe is inserted through a vacuum lock to place the sample holder near to the ion source of the mass spectrometer. The sample is vaporized by heat from the ion source or by heat from a separate heater that surrounds the sample holder. Sample molecules are evaporated into the ion source where they are then ionized as gas-phase molecules. In a recent study, Uyar et al. [74] used such a device for studying the thermal stability of coalesced polymers of polycarbonate, PMMA and polylvinyl acetate) (PVAc) [75] and their binary and ternary blends [74] obtained from their preparation as inclusion compounds in cyclodextrins. 

Reactive impact modifiers are preferred for toughening of PET since these form a stable dispersed phase by grafting to the PET matrix. Non-reactive elastomers can be dispersed into PET by intensive compounding but may coalesce downstream in the compounder. Reactive impact modifiers have functionalized end groups. Functionalization serves two purposes - first, to bond the impact modifier to the polymer matrix, and secondly to modify the interfacial energy between the polymer matrix and the impact modifier for enhanced dispersion. Some examples of commercially available reactive impact modifiers for PET are shown in Table 14.3. An example of a non-reactive elastomer that can be used in combination with reactive impact modifiers is ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA), such as the Optema EMA range of ethylene methyl acrylates manufactured by the Exxon-Mobil Chemical Company (see Section 4.2). 

The preparation and characterization of these colloids have thus motivated a vast amount of work (17). Various colloidal methods are used to control the size and/or the polydispersity of the particles, using reverse (3) and normal (18,19) micelles, Langmuir-BIodgett films (4,5), zeolites (20), two-phase liquid-liquid system (21), or organometallic techniques (22). The achievement of accurate control of the particle size, their stability, and a precisely controllable reactivity of the small particles are required to allow attachment of the particles to the surface of a substrate or to other particles without leading to coalescence and hence losing their size-induced electronic properties. It must be noted that, manipulating nearly monodis-persed nanometer size crystallites with an arbitrary diameter presents a number of difficulties. 

Reactive surfactants can covalently bind to the dispersed phase and as such have a distinct advantage over conventional surfactants that are only physically adsorbed and can be displaced from the interface by shear or phase changes with the subsequent loss of emulsion stability. Furthermore, if the substrate is coalesced to produce decorative or protective films, the desorption can result in, e.g. reduced adhesion, increased water sensitivity and modification of the hardness, barrier and optical properties of the film. 

At the end of the reactivity measurements the sample is transferred back to the preparation chamber where a carbon film is deposited on the sample. This carbon layer has a double use. First, it protects the clusters against a further evolution (coalescence, restructuring, oxidation during air exposure) and second, in the case of MgO crystals it will serve as a thin support for the metal particles (after floating in acidic solution) for subsequent TEM characterization [12]. 

This influences the structural features of the mesophase which remains more disordered, a point made by Cranmer et al. (43). Stadelhofer (107) found that the presence of QI did not change rates of formation of mesophase. Romovacek et al. (108) consider that pyrolytic particles in pitch (primary QI) retard the development of mesophase and suppress coalescence. Decrease in size of optical texture, as brought about by mechanical modification as distinct from chemical modification of pitch properties can increase both the strength and reactivity to oxidising gases of the resultant coke, as recently put forward by Markovic et al. (109). ... 

---