Styrenic block copolymer thermoplastic elastomers are one of the most widely used thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) today. The focus of this research is to fundamentally understand the structure-processs-property relationships in these materials. Deformation behavior of the block copolymers with cylindrical and lamellar morphologies has been investigated in detail using unique techniques like deformation calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), combined in-situ small angle x-ray and wide angle x-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS). The research involves the study of structural changes that occur at different length scales along with the energetics involved upon deformation. The structural changes in the morphology of these systems on deformation have been investigated using combined SAXS/WAXS setup. Small angle x-ray scattering probed the changes at the nano-scale of polystyrene (PS) cylinders, while wide angle x-ray scattering probed the changes at molecular length scales of the amorphous/crystalline domains of the elastomeric mid-block in these systems. TEM analysis of the crosslinked elastomers (by UV curing) further confirms the interpretation of structural details as obtained from SAXS upon deformation. New structural features at both these length scales have been observed and incorporated into the overall deformation mechanisms of the material. Characteristic structural parameters have been correlated to differences in their mechanical response in the commercially relevant cylindrical block copolymers. Effect of various process conditions and thermal treatments has been investigated. The process conditions affect the structure at both micro-scopic (grain size) and nano-scopic (domain size) length scales. A correlation has been obtained between a mechanical property (elastic modulus) and an easily measurable structural parameter (d-spacing). Effect of various phase transitions such as order-to-order transition has been studied. Selective solvents can preferentially swell one phase of the block copolymer relative to other and thus bring a change in morphology. Such kinetically trapped structures when annealed at higher temperature try to achieve their thermodynamic equilibrium state. Such changes in morphology significantly affect their tensile and hysteretic response. In another work it has been shown that by carefully compounding these styrenic block copolymers having different morphologies, it is possible to completely disrupt the local scale order and remove the grain boundaries present in these materials. Finally, a new test technique has been developed, by modifying an existing Charpy device to test polymeric films at a high strain rate. A custom designed load-cell is used for force measurements which imposes harmonic oscillations on a monotonic loading signal. The data obtained from this device can be used to analyze visco-elastic response of polymeric films at frequencies much higher than the conventional dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA).

Orientadores: Ana Flavia Nogueira, Maria Isabel Felisberti / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T13:37:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pedroni_LucasGomes_M.pdf: 2275674 bytes, checksum: 3829c2b15fd56db6cd84d632bf86508b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Nanocompósitos poliméricos baseados em nanotubos de carbono possuem um dos mais elevados potenciais tecnológicos devido à possibilidade de produção de materiais com destacadas propriedades mecânicas, alta condutividade elétrica em baixos teores (baixos limites de percolação), e boa processabilidade. São sistemas versáteis que podem apresentar propriedades excepcionais, as quais podem ser controladas pela alteração na proporção de seus componentes, permitindo que sejam moldados para atender à aplicação exigida. Nesse trabalho, nanocompósitos de nanotubos de carbono de paredes múltiplas (MWCNTs) e um elastômero comercial (Kraton-D®), que é um copolímero em bloco de estireno-butadieno-estireno (SBS), foram preparados por extrusão e pela técnica de evaporação de solvente (casting). As propriedades térmicas, mecânicas, e elétricas desses materiais foram comparadas. A caracterização foi realizada através de medidas de condutividade elétrica (método de Coleman), microscopias eletrônicas de varredura e de transmissão (caracterização morfológica), termogravimetria (determinação do teor de cargas e estabilidade térmica), ensaios de tração e análise dinâmico-mecânica (propriedades mecânicas). Além disso, o potencial de aplicação dos compósitos em células solares de TiO2/corante (DSSC) e como materiais absorvedores de radiação (MAR) foi avaliado. Os resultados evidenciaram uma forte influência da metodologia de preparo nas propriedades finais dos compósitos, a qual é creditada a mudanças de morfologia do sistema em função das condições de preparação utilizadas. As amostras preparadas por casting apresentaram condutividades elétricas mais elevadas, enquanto as propriedades mecânicas foram superiores para os filmes extrudados, e ambas tiveram melhoria da estabilidade térmica. Os compósitos se mostraram promissores quanto ao uso em DSSC e como MAR, mas muitos estudos ainda são necessários para aprimorar sua eficiência nesses campos / Abstract: Polymeric nanocomposites based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have one of the highest technological potential due to the possibility of produce materials with improved mechanical properties, high electrical conductivity at low loadings (low percolation threshold), and good processability. These systems are versatile, may present astonishing properties, and are allowed to control them by changing the proportion of their components, being able to tailor these materials to suit a desired application. In this work, nanocomposites of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and a commercial elastomer (Kraton-D®), which is a block copolymer of styrenebutadiene- styrene (SBS), were prepared by extrusion and by casting. The thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties presented by these materials were compared. The characterization was performed by measurement of the electrical conductivity (Coleman¿s method), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (for morphologic characterization), thermogravimetry (for thermal stability and determination of the loading of filler), stress-strain tests and dynamic mechanical analysis (for the mechanical properties). Furthermore, the potential of application of the extruded composites in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and as radiation absorbing materials (RAM) was tested. The results showed a strong influence of the methodology of preparation upon the final properties of composites, which was attributed to changes in the morphology of the system with conditions used to prepare the samples. Composites made by casting showed a higher electrical conductivity than the extruded ones, although the latter presented better mechanical properties than the former ones. Despite the requirement of further studies to improve their efficiency in DSSC and as RAM, the composites were promising for these applications / Mestrado / Quimica Inorganica / Mestre em Química

Cette thèse vise à développer des matériaux destinés à remplacer les gants des boîtes à gants utilisées en milieu nucléaire confiné par des disques élastomères pouvant prendre la forme des mains lorsqu'un opérateur insère son bras et revenir à leur forme initiale lorsqu'il l'enlève. Le but du travail est de réaliser et d'étudier les propriétés physico-chimiques de matériaux capables de se déformer à plus de 2000 %, à être totalement élastique, à résister au déchirement et aux radiations. Dans un premier temps, une étude bibliographique a montré que les matériaux les plus susceptibles d'y répondre sont les élastomères thermoplastiques. Des matériaux de deux familles d'élastomères thermoplastiques ont donc été réalisés et étudiés. Les premiers sont les élastomères thermoplastiques polyuréthanes. L'influence de la stœchiométrie des monomères et de la structure chimique de différents allongeurs de chaînes sur les propriétés mécaniques a été étudiée. Il en ressort que ces matériaux sont trop visqueux pour répondre au cahier des charges mais une relation intéressante de linéarité entre la contrainte à l'écoulement et le taux de viscosité de l'ensemble de ces formulations a été observée. Les seconds matériaux sont des copolymères Styrène-Ethylène-Butylène-Styrène (SEBS). Les effets du procédé de mise en œuvre ainsi que l'incorporation de plastifiants, de nanoparticules ou de polyuréthane sur les propriétés mécaniques de ces matériaux ont été étudiés. Il a été mis en évidence que le procédé de mise en œuvre influence fortement les propriétés mécaniques et que l'ajout de nanoparticules et de polyuréthane permet d'améliorer certaines propriétés mécaniques. Globalement, les matériaux développés ont des propriétés très proches de celles de matériaux hyperélastiques. / The aim of this PhD work is to replace current gloves of gloveboxes used in nuclear area by elastomer discs which could take the shape of the arm of an operator and come back to their original shape when the arm is removed. The goal of the work is to design and study a material meeting the following specifications: at least 2 000 % strain at break, very high elastic properties, tear and radiation resistant. A bibliographic study showed that the most relevant materials are thermoplastic elastomers. As a consequence, two kinds of these materials were formulated. First ones are thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers. The influence of stoichiometric ratios and different chain extenders on mechanical properties was studied. These materials are too viscous to match the specifications but an interesting linear relation between flow stress and viscosity ratio was observed. Second ones are Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene copolymers (SEBS). Studies on the influence of the process and incorporation of plasticizers, nanoparticules or polyurethane were carried out. It was highlighted that the process strongly influences mechanical properties and addition of nanoparticules or polyurethane can increase some of these properties. On the whole, the materials developed are very close to these of hyperelastic materials.

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Polymers containing poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) were synthesized using a novel pre-formed initiator comprised of an alkyllithium and a tertiary diamine. The use of a pre-formed intiator at moderate temperatures (25° C) enabled the synthesis of high molecular weight poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) homopolymers (<Mn> = 50000) with narrow molecular weight distributions (<Mw>/<Mn> = 1.20). In contrast, the use of a conventional anionic initiation approach resulted in polymerizations that lacked significant degrees of livingness, which limited the polymer molecular weights to approximately 10000. Use of the preformed initiator resulted in a reduction in the degree of both chain termination and chain transfer. In addition, the livingness of the polymerization was shown to be a function of the monomer concentration and the polymerization temperature. The regiochemistry of the polymers were shown to be dependent on the tertiary amine used in the polymerization, which provided a route for the synthesis of polymers with a microstructure rich in either high 1,2-addition (70%) or high 1,4-addition (90%). A range of analytical methods were employed to determine the stereo and regiochemistry of poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene). These methods included 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and endgroup functionalization of the propagating center with chlorotrimethylsilane. The impact of regiochemistry on the thermal properties was examined using differential scanning calorimetry. In addition, the thermooxidative properties of these poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) polymers were characterized in a series of oxidative studies and the onset of oxidative degradation occurred at 110° C. Perfectly alternating copolymers of poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene-alt-styrene) were synthesized, and the reactivity ratios for these copolymers (r1,3CHD = 0.022, rstyrene = 0.024) were determined using a conventional Mayo-Lewis approach. The effect of aromatization and hydrogenation on the thermal properties of these copolymers was determined using thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The synthesis of poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene) DVB coupled star-shaped polymers was performed using a convergent arm-first approach in combination with a divinylbenzene coupling agent (PDI = 1.25). Well-defined poly(1,3-cyclohexadiene-block-isoprene)-star shaped polymers were synthesized and utilized for the development of novel high temperature thermoplastic elastomers, with excellent elastomeric properties (percent elongation = 745 %, tensile strength = 7.2 MPa). Atomic force microscopy in combination with differential scanning calorimetry verified the presence of microphase separation between the blocks. / Ph. D.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Neste trabalho foram preparados nanocompósitos de elastômeros termoplásticos à base de PP/EPDM/argila organofílica. Foram utilizados como agentes interfaciais polipropileno e terpolímero de etileno-propileno-dieno ambos modificados com grupos anidrido maleico, PP-MA e EPDM-MA, respectivamente. Dois tipos de argila organofílica, que se diferenciam pela estrutura química do surfactante e conseqüentemente pela estabilidade térmica, foram empregados como carga inorgânica. Os nanocompósitos foram preparados pela técnica de intercalação por fusão em câmara interna de mistura e a incorporação da argila foi feita pela adição de masterbatches previamente preparados. Foram investigadas as propriedades de tração, reométricas e ainda a morfologia (cristalinidade e estrutura obtida) dos nanocompósitos a fim de estabelecer a influência do tipo e quantidade de argila organofílica e agente interfacial. Os resultados mostraram que a adição de agente interfacial melhorou a dispersão da argila organofílica na matriz de PP/EPDM, particularmente o PP-MA. Foram obtidos nanocompósitos com estruturas mistas intercaladas e esfoliadas, que resultaram em maiores valores de módulo de elasticidade e manutenção dos valores de deformação. As propriedades reométricas confirmaram o maior grau de dispersão da argila organofílica em nanocompósitos contendo PP-MA. Teores crescentes de argila reduziram a cristalinidade dos nanocompósitos, os quais quando reprocessados, mantiveram as características inerentes ao TPE de origem. Por fim, a estrutura do surfactante presente / In this work it was prepared nanocomposites based in PP/EPDM thermoplastic elastomer and organoclay. Maleinized polypropylene and ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, PP-MA and EPDM-MA, respectively, were employed as interfacial agents. Also two kinds of organoclays, differing about surfactant chemical structure and as consequence thermal stability, were investigated as inorganic filler. Nanocomposites were prepared by melt intercalation in an internal chamber mix and organoclay was incorporated by masterbatches addition, which ones were previously made. It was investigated the influence of amount and kind of organoclay and interfacial agent on tensile properties, rheology and morphology (crystallinity and structure type) of nanocomposites obtained. The results showed that interfacial agents addition promoted a better dispersion degree of organoclay platelets in PP/EPDM matrix, mainly PP-MA. Nanocomposites with both intercalated and exfoliated structures were obtained. These exhibited higher Young modulus and kept their elongation values. The better dispersion degree of clay platelets in nanocomposites containing PP-MA was confirmed by rheology measurements. Increasing amounts of organoclay lowered the crystallinity degree of nanocomposites but the reprocessability was maintained similar to that of pure TPE. Finally, the chemical structure of surfactants did not change the intercalation/exfoliation process due to the similarity of organoclay basal spacing and moderated TPE processing temperature.

Studies concerning the formation of industrially useful polycarbonates are the focus of this dissertation. Of particular importance is the biodegradable polymer, poly(trimethylene carbonate) which has a wide range of medical applications. The production of polycarbonates can be achieved by the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic carbonate, or the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and oxiranes or oxetanes. For the production of polycarbonates from these monomers, Schiff base metal complexes have been designed, synthesized, and optimized as catalysts. Detailed kinetic and mechanistic studies have been performed for the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic carbonates, as well as the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and oxiranes or oxetane. In addition, the copolymerization of cyclic carbonates and cyclic esters to modify the mechanical and biodegradable properties of materials used for medical devices has been studied using biocompatible metal complexes. In the process for ring-opening polymerizations of trimethylene carbonate or lactides, Schiff base metal complexes (metal = Ca(II), Mg(II) and Zn(II)) have been shown to be very effective catalysts to produce high molecular weight polymers with narrow polydispersities. Kinetic studies demonstrated the polymerization reactions to proceed via a mechanism first order in [monomer], [catalyst], and [cocatalyst] if an external cocatalyst is applied, and to involve ring-opening by way of acyl-oxygen bond cleavage. The activation parameters (ΔH≠, ΔS≠ and ΔG≠) were determined for ringopening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate, ring-opening polymerization of lactides, and copolymerization of trimethylene carbonate and lactide. In the process for copolymerization of carbon dioxide and oxetane, metal salen derivatives of Cr(III) and Al(III) along with cocatalyst such as n-Bu4NX or PPNX (PPN = bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium, and X = Br, Cl and N3) have been shown to be effective catalysts to provide poly(trimethylene carbonate) with only trace amount of ether linkages. The formation of copolymer is proposed not to proceed via the intermediacy of trimethylene carbonate, which was observed as a minor product of the coupling reaction. To support this conclusion, ring-opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate has been performed and kinetic parameters have been compared with those from the copolymerization of carbon dioxide and oxetane.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Neste trabalho foram preparados nanocompósitos de elastômeros termoplásticos à base de PP/EPDM/argila organofílica. Foram utilizados como agentes interfaciais polipropileno e terpolímero de etileno-propileno-dieno ambos modificados com grupos anidrido maleico, PP-MA e EPDM-MA, respectivamente. Dois tipos de argila organofílica, que se diferenciam pela estrutura química do surfactante e conseqüentemente pela estabilidade térmica, foram empregados como carga inorgânica. Os nanocompósitos foram preparados pela técnica de intercalação por fusão em câmara interna de mistura e a incorporação da argila foi feita pela adição de masterbatches previamente preparados. Foram investigadas as propriedades de tração, reométricas e ainda a morfologia (cristalinidade e estrutura obtida) dos nanocompósitos a fim de estabelecer a influência do tipo e quantidade de argila organofílica e agente interfacial. Os resultados mostraram que a adição de agente interfacial melhorou a dispersão da argila organofílica na matriz de PP/EPDM, particularmente o PP-MA. Foram obtidos nanocompósitos com estruturas mistas intercaladas e esfoliadas, que resultaram em maiores valores de módulo de elasticidade e manutenção dos valores de deformação. As propriedades reométricas confirmaram o maior grau de dispersão da argila organofílica em nanocompósitos contendo PP-MA. Teores crescentes de argila reduziram a cristalinidade dos nanocompósitos, os quais quando reprocessados, mantiveram as características inerentes ao TPE de origem. Por fim, a estrutura do surfactante presente / In this work it was prepared nanocomposites based in PP/EPDM thermoplastic elastomer and organoclay. Maleinized polypropylene and ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, PP-MA and EPDM-MA, respectively, were employed as interfacial agents. Also two kinds of organoclays, differing about surfactant chemical structure and as consequence thermal stability, were investigated as inorganic filler. Nanocomposites were prepared by melt intercalation in an internal chamber mix and organoclay was incorporated by masterbatches addition, which ones were previously made. It was investigated the influence of amount and kind of organoclay and interfacial agent on tensile properties, rheology and morphology (crystallinity and structure type) of nanocomposites obtained. The results showed that interfacial agents addition promoted a better dispersion degree of organoclay platelets in PP/EPDM matrix, mainly PP-MA. Nanocomposites with both intercalated and exfoliated structures were obtained. These exhibited higher Young modulus and kept their elongation values. The better dispersion degree of clay platelets in nanocomposites containing PP-MA was confirmed by rheology measurements. Increasing amounts of organoclay lowered the crystallinity degree of nanocomposites but the reprocessability was maintained similar to that of pure TPE. Finally, the chemical structure of surfactants did not change the intercalation/exfoliation process due to the similarity of organoclay basal spacing and moderated TPE processing temperature.

No description available.