Polybenzoxazine Resins with Cellulose Phosphide: Preparation, Flame Retardancy and Mechanisms

Phosphated cellulose (PCF) was synthesized based on urea, phosphated acid and cellulose. The structure of the PCF was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with the Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS). Benzoxazine (Ba)/PCF hybrid materials were fabricated and thermally cured to prepare polybenzoxazine composites (PBa/PCF). The effects of PCF on the curing temperature of Ba were analyzed through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermogravimetric (TGA) results demonstrated an increased char residue of 50% for the PBa composites incorporating PCF-5% compared with the pure PBa. The peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) values of the PBa/PCF-5% composites clearly decreased by 58.1% and 16.5% compared to those of the pristine PBa. The smoke released from the PBa/PCF system significantly reduced with the loading of PCF. Moreover, the limited oxygen index (LOI) and vertical burning test level (UL-94) of PBa/PCF-5% reached up to 31 and V0. The flame retardant mechanism of the PCF in the PBa matrix was investigated TG-FTIR and char residues analysis. Finally, the dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) results demonstrated that the Tg of the PBa/PCF composites was approximately 230 °C, which does not affect further applications of PBa composites.

Block Copolymers of Poly(ω-Pentadecalactone) in Segmented Polyurethanes: Novel Biodegradable Shape Memory Polyurethanes

In this report, the synthesis of poly(ω-pentadecalactone) (PPDL) (co)polymers and their incorporation into polyurethanes (PUs) are reported. Optimal conditions for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ω-pentadecalactone (PDL) using dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst were established. For the synthesis of linear and crosslinked PUs, 50 kDa poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and 1,6-hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) were used. The obtained polyurethanes were characterized by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (AT-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). The DMA of the selected sample showed a rubbery plateau on the storage modulus versus temperature curve predicting shape memory behavior. Indeed, good shape memory performances were obtained with shape fixity (Rf) and shape recovery (Rr) ratios.

Effect of Aromatic Petroleum Resin on Damping Properties of Polybutyl Methacrylate

The damping properties of polybutyl methacrylate (PBMA)/aromatic petroleum resin (C9) composite were investigated in this work. In particular, a trace of styrene (St) was introduced to copolymerize with PBMA to improve the compatibility between C9 and matrix. The structure of the copolymer, P(BMA-co-St), was characterized by FTIR and 1HNMR. The P(BMA-co-St)/C9 composites were tested by differencial scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). DSC curves of all P(BMA-co-1wt%St)/C9 composites expressed only one glass transition temperature (Tg). SEM images showed that C9 had good compatibility with the matrix after St was introduced. DMA curves indicated that the addition of C9 had a positive effect on the damping properties of PBMA. The loss tangent (tanδ) peak moved to a higher temperature with the increment content of C9, and the effective damping temperature range increased significantly. The influence of aromatic resin C9 and aliphatic resin (C5) on PBMA damping performance was compared. It was further shown that C9 with benzene ring effectively improved the damping performance of PBMA.

Heat resisting and water-soluble chocolate polyesters containing azomethine group

In this study, soluble in water poly(azomethine-ester)s (PAEs) were synthesized via elimination reactions of aromatic dihydroxy compounds containing imine bonding with terephthaloyl chloride. The structures of Schiff bases (SBs) and PAEs containing different aliphatic chains were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and UV-Vis analyses. Physicochemical properties of the new polymers were characterized. Thermal properties of the compounds were investigated by TGA-DTA, DMA and DSC. According to TGA measurements, the starting degradation temperatures (Ton) of P-1, P-2, P-3, and P-4 poly(azomethine-ester)s were found as 255 °C, 232 °C, 222 °C, and 221 °C, respectively. The starting degradation temperatures of the poly(azomethine-ester)s were higher than their Schiff base compounds. According to dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) measurements, glass transition temperature (Tg) of P-1, P-2, P-3, and P-4 poly(azomethine-ester)s were found as 95 °C, 138 °C, 140 °C, and 145 °C, respectively. The morphological and topographic properties of the PAEs containing azomethine linkage in the main chain were investigated by FE-SEM and AFM, respectively. The molecular mass distributions of PAEs were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Electrochemical (E′g) and optical band gap (Eoptg ) values of the prepared SBs and PAEs were calculated from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-Vis analyses. The electrochemical band gap (E′g) values of P-1, P-2, P-3 and P-4 were found as 2.44 eV, 2.41 eV, 2.39 eV and 2.39 eV, respectively, from the cyclic voltammetry.

Ethylene-Octene Copolymers/Organoclay Nanocomposites: Preparation and Properties

Two ethylene-octene copolymers with 17 and 45 wt.% of octene (EOC-17 and EOC-45) were compared in nanocomposites with Cloisite 93A. EOC-45 nanocomposites have a higher elongation at break. Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) showed a decrease oftan⁡δwith frequency for EOC-17 nanocomposites, but decrease is followed by an increase for EOC-45 nanocomposites; DMA showed also increased modulus for all nanocomposites compared to pure copolymers over a wide temperature range. Barrier properties were improved about 100% by addition of organoclay; they were better for EOC-17 nanocomposites due to higher crystallinity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed some intercalation for EOC-17 but much better dispersion for EOC-45 nanocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed increased crystallization temperatureTcfor EOC-17 nanocomposite (aggregates acted as nucleation agents) but decreaseTcfor EOC-45 nanocomposite together with greatly influenced melting peak. Accelerated UV aging showed smaller C=O peak for EOC-45 nanocomposites.