Dynamic mechanical studies of the sulfonated butyl rubber ionomers and their blends

Dynamic mechanical properties of sulfonated butyl rubber ionomers neutralized with different amine or metallic ion (zinc or barium) and their blends with polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), or styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) triblock copolymer were studied using viscoelastometry. The results showed that glass transition temperatures of ion pair-containing matrix and ionic domains (T-g1 and T-g2, respectively) of amine-neutralized ionomers were lower than those of ionomers neutralized with metallic ions, and the temperature range of the rubbery plateau on the storage modulus plot for amine-neutralized ionomers was narrower. The modulus of the rubbery plateau for amine-neutralized ionomers was lower than that of ionomers neutralized with zinc or barium ion. With increasing size of the amine, the temperature range for the rubbery plateau decreased, and the height of the loss peak at higher temperature increased. Dynamic mechanical properties of blends of the zinc ionomer with PP or HDPE showed that, with decreasing ionomer content, the T-m of PP or HDPE increased and T-g1 decreased, whereas T-g2 or the upper loss peak temperature changed only slightly. The T-g1 for the blend with SBS also decreased with decreasing ionomer content. The decrease of T-g1 is attributed to the enhanced compatibilization of the matrix of the ionomer-containing ion pairs with amorphous regions of PP or HDPE or the continuous phase of SBS due to the formation of thermoplastic interpenetrating polymer networks by ionic domains and crystalline or glassy domains.

Crystallization behavior of a novel ether ketone polymer containing meta-phenylene linkage: PEKEKK (T/I)

Nonisothermal and isothermal melt crystallization kinetics of a novel aryl ether ketone polymer containing meta-phenylene linkages, PEKEKK (T/I), were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Avrami equation modified by Jeziorny and a new approach by combining the Avrami equation with the Ozawa equation could describe the nonisothermal crystallization. Isothermal crystallization could also be described by the Avrami equation. The activation energies were 187 and 159 kJ/mol for nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization, respectively. Using the Hoffman-Weeks method, the equilibrium melting point T-m(o) was estimated as 353 degrees C. From the spherulitic growth equation proposed by Hoffman and Lauritzen, the nucleation parameter K-g of the isothermal melt crystallization was estimated as 5.49 x 10(5) K-2. The crystallization characteristics of PEKEKK (T/I) were compared with those of all-para PEKEKK. The differences were explained by differences in the chain flexibility of the two polymers.