Network structure loaded polymers

The rheological properties of insitu polymerized nanocomposites with end-tethered polymer chains were first described by Krisnamoorti and Giannelis [33]. The flow behavior of PCL- and Nylon 6-based nanocomposites differed extremely from that of the corresponding neat matrices, whereas the thermorheological properties of the nanocomposites were entirely determined by the behavior of the matrices [33]. The slope of G (co) and G"(co) versus flxco is much smaller than 2 and 1, respectively. Values of 2 and 1 are expected for linear mono-dispersed polymer melts, and the large deviation, especially in the presence of a very small amount of layered silicate loading, may be due to the formation of a network structure in the molten... 

Several studies have considered the influence of filler type, size, concentration and geometry on shear yielding in highly loaded polymer melts. For example, the dynamic viscosity of polyethylene containing glass spheres, barium sulfate and calcium carbonate of various particle sizes was reported by Kambe and Takano [46]. Viscosity at very low frequencies was found to be sensitive to the network structure formed by the particles, and increased with filler concentration and decreasing particle size. However, the effects observed were dependent on the nature of the filler and its interaction with the polymer melt. 

The principal feature that distinguishes thermosets and conventional elastomers from thermoplastics is the presence of a cross-linked network structure. As we have seen from the above discussion, in the case of elastomers the network structure may be formed by a limited number of covalent bonds (cross-linked rubbers) or may be due to physical links resulting in a domain structure (thermoplastic elastomers). For elastomers, the presence of these cross-links prevents gross mobility of molecules, but local molecular mobility is still possible. Thermosets, on the other hand, have a network structure formed exclusively by covalent bonds. Thermosets have a high density of cross-links and are consequently infusible, insoluble, thermally stable, and dimensionally stable under load. The major commercial thermosets include epoxies, polyesters, and polymers based on formaldehyde. Formaldehyde-based resins, which are the most widely used thermosets, consist essentially of two classes of thermosets. These are the condensation products of formaldehyde with phenol (or resorcinol) (phenoplasts or phenolic resins) or with urea or melamine (aminoplastics or amino resins). 

Octamethyl-POSS was physically blended into isotactic polypropylene (iPP) at small loadings and it was shown that the POSS molecules exhibit nanocrystals and aggregate to form thread or network structure in the nanocomposites, which promotes the nucleation rate of iPP during crystallization [67, 68]. The thermal stability of iPP/POSS nanocomposites was lower than that of pure iPP, which was explained by the inferior interaction between octamethyl-POSS and the polymer. 

The presented results and the additional information taken from various references indicate the direct relevance of the size of the network strands for the crack opening displacement and consequently for the toughness of the polymer. In polymers under load, the molecular chains at the tip of the crack break after the deformation zone ahead of the crack has grown to a critical width 5C, that is the crack opening displacement. This value 5C is proportional to the length of the molecular strands of the network and is linked in this way to the molecular structure of the polymer. However, the molecular mechanism for chain breakage in the deformation zone is not known at present. 

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