Rubber-toughened poly methyl mechanisms

Elloappan, V., El-aasser, M.S., Klein, A., Daniels, E.S., Roberts, J.E., and Pearson, R.A. (1994) Effect of the core/shell latex particle interphase on the mechanical behavior of rubber-toughened poly (methyl methacrylate). J. Appl. 

The different basic mechanisms shown in Figure 19 are valid for other toughened polymers as well. For example, the mechanism in Figure 19 is decisive for rubber-toughened poly(vinyl chloride) (37), polycarbonate, 38, 39), poly(methyl methacrylate) 40, 41), and rubber-toughened epoxies 42, 43). 

The impact properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) may be improved by mechanical blending of small rubber particles with the matrix. Several authors have investigated the toughening mechanisms of these materials, which at present are only partially understood. In 1989, Mauzac and Schirrer (1) studied the effect of the rubber particles at the crack tip. They looked at particle volume fractions that ranged over five decades of concentra-... 

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) homopolymer is a stiff, rather brittle plastic with a glass temperature of about 80°C. While somewhat more ductile than polystyrene homopolymer, it is still important to blend PVC with elastomer systems to improve toughness. For example, methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS) elastomers can impart impact resistance and also optical clarity (see Section 3.3). ABS resins (see Section 3.1.2) are also frequently employed for this purpose. Another of the more important mechanical blends of elastomeric with plastic resins is based on poly(vinyl chloride) as the plastic component, and random copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile (AN) as the elastomer (Matsuo, 1968). On incorporation of this elastomeric phase, PVC, which is ordinarily a stiff, brittle plastic, can be toughened greatly. A nonpolar homopolymer rubber such as polybutadiene (PB) is incompatible with the polar PVC. Indeed, electron microscopy shows... 

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