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The Matrix Polymer (the + matrix_polymer)
Selected AbstractsA study of the recycling and stability of flexographic photopolymer platesJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Cristina C. Cordeiro Abstract Flexographic photopolymer plates have a wide range of commercial applications despite the fact that recycling of such materials is difficult. In consequence, there is a large bulk of leftover material around the world. In this research, the photopolymer plate waste products, identified as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/polyester are blended into common polypropylene (PP) and ethylenevinylacetate (EVA) resins at different loading percentages. PP and EVA are used as the polymer matrix and the recovered styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) material as the filler. Evaluation of the mechanical, spectroscopic, thermal and chemical properties, as well as morphology, is done by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical results show that elongation strongly depends on the matrix polymer: the greater the amount of solid-sheet photopolymer (SSP), the smaller the elongation. No specific interactions were detected; however, thermal degradation and transitions were displaced, suggesting some miscibility. More homogeneity is seen for EVA blends, with no significant chemical attack detected. It is possible to reuse these recycled materials in blends with PP and EVA resins. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source] Colorless polyimide nanocomposite films: Thermomechanical properties, morphology, and optical transparencyJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008Hyo-Seong Jin Abstract Polyimide (PI)/organoclay hybrid films were prepared by the solution intercalation method, using dodecyltriphenylphosphonium-mica (C12PPh-Mica) as the organoclay. The variations with organoclay content of the thermomechanical properties, morphology, and optical transparency of the hybrids were examined for concentrations from 0 to 1.0 wt %. For low clay contents (, 0.5 wt %), the clay particles are better dispersed in the matrix polymer, without the formation of large agglomerates of particles, than they are for high clay contents. However, agglomerated structures form and become denser in the PI matrix for clay contents , 0.75 wt %. This is in agreement with the observed trends in the thermomechanical properties and the optical transparency, which worsen drastically when the clay content of the C12PPh-Mica/PI hybrids reaches 0.75 wt %. However, when the amount of organoclay in the hybrid is 0.75 wt %, the initial modulus of the hybrid film is at its maximum value. The PI hybrid films were found to exhibit excellent optical transparencies and to be almost colorless. It was found, however, that the transparency decreases slightly with increases in the organoclay content because of agglomeration of the clay particles. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Organoclay Nanocomposites from Ethylene,Acrylic Acid CopolymersMACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 10 2006Sara Filippi Abstract Summary: A study of the structure,property relationships for nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding from ethylene,acrylic acid copolymers of varied composition and molecular architecture, and organoclays modified with different ammonium ions has been made by DSC, POM, SEM, TEM, WAXD, and rheological and mechanical tests. Within the series of clays investigated, the best levels of dispersion were displayed by those organically modified with quaternary ammonium ions containing two long alkyl tails. The relevant nanocomposites were shown to possess mixed exfoliated and intercalated morphology. The spacing of the intercalated clay stacks, most of which comprise few silicate layers, was found to be independent of clay loading, in the range of 2,50 phr, and to change with the molecular architecture of the matrix polymer. An indication that the excess surfactant present in some of the clays, and the organic material added in others to expand the interlayer spacing, were expelled from the clay galleries during melt blending and acted as plasticisers for the matrix polymer, was obtained from WAXD and rheological characterisations. TEM micrograph of the nanocomposite of EAA1 with 11 phr of 15A. [source] Electrical Response to Organic Vapor of Conductive Composites from Amorphous Polymer/Carbon Black Prepared by Polymerization FillingMACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2003Jun Rong Li Abstract In recent years, conductive polymer composites have found applications as gas sensors because of their sudden change in electric resistance of several orders of magnitude when the materials are exposed to certain solvent vapors. However, the composites having this function reported so far are mostly based on crystalline polymeric matrices, which factually sets a limit to materials selection. The present work prepares polystyrene/carbon black composites through polymerization filling and proves that the amorphous polymer composites can also serve as gas sensing materials. The composites' percolation threshold is much lower than that of the composites produced by dispersive mixing. In addition, high responsivity to some organic vapors coupled with sufficient reproducibility is acquired. The experimental data show that molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the matrix polymer and conducting filler content exert great influence on the electrical response behavior of the composites. As a result, composites performance can be purposely tailored accordingly. Compared with the approaches of melt-blending and solution-blending, the current technique is characterized by many advantages, such as simplicity, low cost, and easy to be controlled. Effect of different organic solvent vapors on the electric resistance of PS/CB composites (CB content,=,10.35 vol.-%). [source] pH Tailoring Electrical and Mechanical Behavior of Polymer,Clay,Nanotube AerogelsMACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 19 2009Matthew D. Gawryla Abstract Aerogels are low density (<0.1,g,·,cm,3), highly porous materials that are especially interesting for insulating applications. Combinations of clay and water-soluble polymers are commonly used to produce aerogels, but these materials are often mechanically weak. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) were combined with clay and found to significantly improve mechanical behavior and impart electrical conductivity to these aerogels. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as the matrix polymer provides a means of tailoring the electrical conductivity and mechanical behavior by altering the pH of the aqueous aerogel precursor suspensions prior to freeze drying. An aerogel, made from a pH 9 aqueous suspension containing 0.5,wt.-% PAA, 5,wt.-% clay, and 0.05,wt.-% SWNT, has a compressive modulus of 373,kPa. In the absence of nanotubes, this modulus is reduced to 43,kPa. Reducing suspension pH to 3, prior to freeze drying, also reduces modulus for these aerogels, but electrical conductivity is increased when nanotubes are present. It was found that bundled nanotubes provide better reinforcement for these low-density composites, which may provide some new insight into the use of nanotubes in materials that will be exposed to compressive loading. [source] Novel Thermoplastic Composites from Commodity Polymers and Man-Made Cellulose FibersMACROMOLECULAR SYMPOSIA, Issue 1 2006Hans-Peter Fink Abstract Summary: A new class of fibre reinforced commodity thermoplastics suited for injection moulding and direct processing applications has been developed using man-made cellulosic fibres (Rayon tire yarn, Tencel, Viscose, Carbacell) and thermoplastic commodity polymers, such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), high impact polystyrene (HIPS), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) as the matrix polymer. For compounding, a specially adapted double pultrusion technique has been employed which provides composites with homogeneously distributed fibres. Extensive investigations were performed with Rayon reinforced PP in view of applications in the automotive industry. The Rayon-PP composite is characterized by high strength and an excellent impact behaviour as compared with glass fibre reinforced PP, thus permitting applications in the field of engineering thermoplastics such as polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blends (PC/ABS). With the PP based composites the influence of material parameters (e.g. fibre type and load, coupling agent) were studied and it has been demonstrated how to tailor the desired composite properties as modulus and heat distortion temperature (HDT) by varying the fibre type or adding inorganic fillers. Man-made cellulose fibers are also suitable for the reinforcement of further thermoplastic commodity polymers with appropriate processing temperatures. In case of PE modulus and strength are tripled compared to the neat resin while Charpy impact strength is increased five-fold. For HIPS mainly strength and stiffness are increased, while for TPE the property profile is changed completely. With Rayon reinforced PLA, a fully biogenic and biodegradable composite with excellent mechanical properties including highly improved impact strength is presented. [source] Mass transport studies of different additives in polyamide and exfoliated nanocomposite polyamide films for food industryPACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010David Antonio Pereira de Abreu Abstract The development of new food packaging films through the incorporation of nanoparticles, and the effect of the nanoparticles on the process of migration of the substances used in manufacturing the new films is expected to lead to an improvement in the shelf life of food and thus, consumer safety and health. In recent years, attention has focused on nanocomposites because these compounds often exhibit unexpected hybrid properties derived from synergistic reactions between nanoparticles and the polymeric matrix. The exfoliation of nanoclays in polyamide film provides a film with better barrier properties than that obtained through the intercalation of nanoclays. Migration of chemicals from food packaging into food may produce potential adverse health effects because of exposure to toxic compounds. The present study addressed the migration of caprolactam, 5-Chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol (triclosan) and trans,trans-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene (DPBD) from polyamide and polyamide-nanoclays to different types of food simulants. The values for limit of detection (LOD) obtained for caprolactam, triclosan and DPBD was 0.5,mg/L, 0.02,mg/L and 0.01,mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, instrumental precision was evaluated through repeatability injections, resulting in relative standard deviations lower than 3.08%. Diffusion coefficients were calculated according to a mathematical model based on Fick's Second Law, and the results were discussed in terms of the parameters that may have the greatest effect on migration. The presence of polymer nanoparticles was found to slow down the rate of migration of substances from the matrix polymer into the food up to six times. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effect of clay exfoliation and organic modification on morphological, dynamic mechanical, and thermal behavior of melt-compounded polyamide-6 nanocompositesPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 2 2007Smita Mohanty Abstract Polyamide-6/clay nanocomposites were prepared employing melt bending or compounding technique followed by injection molding using different organically modified clays. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to determine the molecular dispersion of the modified clays within the matrix polymer. Mechanical tests revealed an increase in tensile and flexural properties of the matrix polymer with the increase in clay loading from 0 to 5%. C30B/polyamide-6 nanocomposites exhibited optimum mechanical performance at 5% clay loading. Storage modulus of polyamide-6 also increased in the nanocomposites, indicating an increase in the stiffness of the matrix polymer with the addition of nanoclays. Furthermore, water absorption studies confirmed comparatively lesser tendency of water uptake in these nanocomposites. HDT of the virgin matrix increased substantially with the addition of organically modified clays. DSC measurements revealed both , and , transitions in the matrix polymer as well as in the nanocomposites. The crystallization temperature (Tc) exhibited an increase in case of C30B/polyamide-6 nanocomposites. Thermal stability of virgin polyamide-6 and the nanocomposites has been investigated employing thermogravimetric analysis. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:153,162, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Efficient dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by in situ polymerizationPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2007Nantao Hu Abstract Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)-reinforced polyimide nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ polymerization of monomers in the presence of acylated MWNTs. The acyl groups associated with the MWNTs participated in the reaction through the formation of amide bonds. This process enabled uniform dispersion of MWNT bundles in the polymer matrix. The resultant MWNT,polyimide nanocomposite films were optically transparent with significant mechanical enhancement at a very low loading (0.5 wt%). Evidence has been obtained for improved interactions between the nanotubes and the matrix polymer. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Single-Molecule Electroluminescence of a Phosphorescent Organometallic ComplexCHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 8 2009Yasuhiro Sekiguchi Abstract Lighting one by one: The electroluminescence (EL) from single molecules of a red phosphorescent iridium complex dispersed in a hole-transporting polymer matrix is studied. The single-molecule EL dynamics is determined by local structural inhomogeneities in the matrix polymer (see picture). [source] Macroscopically Aligned Ionic Self-Assembled Perylene-Surfactant Complexes within a Polymer Matrix,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 13 2008Ari Laiho Abstract Ionic self-assembled (ISA) surfactant complexes present a facile concept for self-assembly of various functional materials. However, no general scheme has been shown to allow their overall alignment beyond local polydomain-like order. Here we demonstrate that ionic complexes forming a columnar liquid-crystalline phase in bulk can be aligned within polymer blends upon shearing, taken that the matrix polymers have sufficiently high molecular weight. We use an ISA complex of N,N,-bis(ethylenetrimethylammonium)perylenediimide/bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (Pery-BEHP) blended with different molecular weight polystyrenes (PS). Based on X-ray scattering studies and transmission electron microscopy the pure Pery-BEHP complex was found to form a two-dimensional oblique columnar phase where the perylene units stack within the columns. Blending the complex with PS lead to high aspect ratio Pery-BEHP aggregates with lateral dimension in the mesoscale, having internal columnar liquid-crystalline order similar to the pure Pery-BEHP complex. When the Pery-BEHP/PS blend was subjected to a shear flow field, the alignment of perylenes can be achieved but requires sufficiently high molecular weight of the polystyrene matrix. The concept also suggests a simple route for macroscopically aligned nanocomposites with conjugated columnar liquid-crystalline functional additives. [source] | ||||||||||