Advanced Polymer Blends: From Processing to Characterisation and Application

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 August 2024 | Viewed by 2892

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Sustainable and Green Plastics Laboratory, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul 34469, Turkey
Interests: polymer processing; rheology; biopolymers; polylactide; polymer nanocomposites; polymer blends; multifunctional nanostructures; microcellular polymer foams

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Guest Editor
School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK
Interests: polymer processing; polymer rheology; polymer blends; polymer nanocomposites; biodegradable polymers; conductive polymer nanocomposites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer blends are mixtures of two or more different polymers that are combined to create a new material with unique properties, and the objective of blending polymers is to achieve a combination of properties from the constituent polymers that cannot be obtained from a single polymer alone. By blending polymers, it is possible to create materials with enhanced mechanical, thermal, electrical, or optical properties, as well as improved processability and cost efficiency.

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives on topics related to polymer blends, including but not limited to:

  1. Novel processing techniques for polymer blends;
  2. Characterization of polymer blends using advanced analytical techniques (e.g., spectroscopy, microscopy, rheology);
  3. Compatibilization of polymer blends and their analyses;
  4. Theoretical modeling and simulation of polymer blend properties;
  5. Applications of polymer blends in various fields (e.g., packaging, biomedical, automotive, construction);
  6. Development of polymer blends with improved properties such as mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance;
  7. Recycling and sustainability of polymer blends;
  8. Role of functional particles in tuning the properties of polymer blends towards a specific application.

Prof. Dr. Mohammad Reza Nofar
Dr. Reza Salehiyan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • polymer blends
  • processing
  • characterization
  • rheology
  • compatibilizer
  • mechanical properties
  • physical properties

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 5134 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Effects of Nano-CaCO3 on the Core–Shell Structure and Properties of HDPE/POE/Nano-CaCO3 Ternary Nanocomposites
by Wei Liu, Lumin Wang, Xun Zhang, Hongliang Huang, Yongli Liu and Minghua Min
Polymers 2024, 16(8), 1146; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081146 - 19 Apr 2024
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Abstract
To address the dilemma of the stiffness and toughness properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites, titanate coupling agent-treated CaCO3 nanoparticles (nano-CaCO3) and ethylene–octene copolymer (POE) were utilized to blend with HDPE to prepare ternary nanocomposites via a two-sequence-step process. Meanwhile, [...] Read more.
To address the dilemma of the stiffness and toughness properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites, titanate coupling agent-treated CaCO3 nanoparticles (nano-CaCO3) and ethylene–octene copolymer (POE) were utilized to blend with HDPE to prepare ternary nanocomposites via a two-sequence-step process. Meanwhile, a one-step process was also studied as a control. The obtained ternary nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Advanced Rheometrics Expansion System (ARES), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis (WXRD), and mechanical test. The SEM results showed one or two CaCO3 nanoparticles were well-encapsulated by POE and were uniformly dispersed into the HDPE matrix to form a core–shell structure of 100–200 nm in size by the two-step process, while CaCO3 nanoparticles were aggregated in the HDPE matrix by the one-step method. The result of the XRD showed that the nano-CaCO3 particle played a role in promoting crystallization in HDPE nanocomposites. Mechanical tests showed that the synergistic effect of both the POE elastomer and CaCO3 nanoparticles should account for the balanced performance of the ternary composites. In comparison with neat HDPE, the notched impact toughness of the ternary nanocomposites of HDPE/POE/nano-CaCO3 was significantly increased. In addition, the core–shell structure absorbed the fracture impact energy and prevent further propagation of micro-cracks, thus obtaining a higher notched Izod impact strength. Full article
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12 pages, 3204 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Polyamide 11 on the Thermal Stability and Light Transmittance of Silicone-Based Thermoplastic Vulcanizates
by Muhammet Iz, Jinhyok Lee, Myungchan Choi, Yumi Yun and Jongwoo Bae
Polymers 2024, 16(3), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16030324 - 24 Jan 2024
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Abstract
The effect of polyamide 11 (PA11) on the thermal stability and light transmittance properties of silicone-based thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) has been investigated. The blends were prepared through a dynamic vulcanization process by adding 15, 30, and 45 wt% PA11 to the silicon-based TPVs, [...] Read more.
The effect of polyamide 11 (PA11) on the thermal stability and light transmittance properties of silicone-based thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) has been investigated. The blends were prepared through a dynamic vulcanization process by adding 15, 30, and 45 wt% PA11 to the silicon-based TPVs, respectively. The effect of PA11 on the dispersion of silicone rubber in the TPVs after dynamic vulcanization was characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the thermal stability of the compounds was evaluated through the changes in mechanical performance in the thermo-oxidative aging process, and the light transmittance of TPVs was measured by a haze meter. The results showed that adding PA11 to silicone-based TPVs caused a decrease in the size of the silicone rubber particles after dynamic vulcanization, resulting in improved dispersion. Due to this, by increasing the compatibility between the segments through silicone’s effective dispersion, the amount of light absorption was reduced, and the amount of light transmittance was increased. Finally, according to the results of the thermal aging test, it was found that TPVs with 30 and 45 wt% PA11, respectively, showed outstanding thermal resistance after aging at 160 °C and 168 h and did not melt down. Full article
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20 pages, 11727 KiB  
Article
Phase Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Super-Tough PLLA/TPE/EMA-GMA Ternary Blends
by Martin Boruvka, Roman Base, Jan Novak, Pavel Brdlik, Lubos Behalek and Chakaphan Ngaowthong
Polymers 2024, 16(2), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020192 - 9 Jan 2024
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Abstract
The inherent brittleness of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) limits its use in a wider range of applications that require plastic deformation at higher stress levels. To overcome this, a series of poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA)/biodegradable thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE) blends and their ternary [...] Read more.
The inherent brittleness of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) limits its use in a wider range of applications that require plastic deformation at higher stress levels. To overcome this, a series of poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA)/biodegradable thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE) blends and their ternary blends with an ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate (EMA-GMA) copolymer as a compatibilizer were prepared via melt blending to improve the poor impact strength and low ductility of PLAs. The thermal behavior, crystallinity, and miscibility of the binary and ternary blends were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Tensile tests revealed a brittle–ductile transition when the binary PLLA/20TPE blend was compatibilized by 8.6 wt. % EMA-GMA, and the elongation at break increased from 10.9% to 227%. The “super tough” behavior of the PLLA/30TPE/12.9EMA-GMA ternary blend with the incomplete break and notched impact strength of 89.2 kJ∙m−2 was observed at an ambient temperature (23 °C). In addition, unnotched PLLA/40TPE samples showed a tremendous improvement in crack initiation resistance at sub-zero test conditions (−40 °C) with an impact strength of 178.1 kJ∙m−2. Morphological observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates that EMA-GMA is preferentially located at the PLLA/TPE interphase, where it is partially incorporated into the matrix and partially encapsulates the TPE. The excellent combination of good interfacial adhesion, debonding cavitation, and subsequent matrix shear yielding worked synergistically with the phase transition from sea–island to co-continuous morphology to form an interesting super-toughening mechanism. Full article
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