Micro- and Nanostructured Epoxy/Rubber Blends (eBook)

Sabu Thomas is a Professor and Director of Polymer Science and Engineering at the School of Chemical Sciences, as well as the Director of Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. He received his Ph.D. in 1987 in Polymer Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, India. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Prof. Thomas has (co-)authored more than 600 research papers in international peer-reviewed journals in the area of polymer composites, nanocomposites, membrane separation, polymer blends and alloys, polymeric sca olds for tissue engineering and polymer recycling. Prof. Thomas has been involved in a number of books (35 books), both as author and editor. He has been ranked no. 5 in India with regard to the number of publications (listed in the panel of most productive scientists in the country). He received the coveted Sukumar Maithy Award for the best polymer researcher in the country for the year 2008. The h index of Prof. Thomas is 67 and he has more than 17,000 citations. Prof. Thomas has 4 patents to his credit. Recently he has been awarded CRSI and MRSI awards. Prof. Thomas has supervised 64 PhD theses and has delivered more than 200 invited /plenary and key note talks over 30 countries. Christophe Sinturel received his Masters degree in Organic Chemistry in 1994 and his Ph.D. in Polymer Science in 1998 from the University Blaise Pascal of Clermont-Ferrand (France). He spent one year at the University of Brighton (UK) in 1999 as Postdoctoral Research Associate before being appointed as an associate professor the same year at the University of Orléans (France). He accepted a full-professor position at the University of Orléans in 2010. Christophe is currently conducting research in Orléans at the Centre de Recherche sur la Matière Divisée, a joint research institute of the Centre National de la Recherche Scienti que (CNRS) and the University of Orléans. His current research interests concern polymer blends, nanostructured polymers, polymer nano-composites and block polymers. He has published 40 publications in various international journals and books, 2 patents and participated in several international conferences. Raju Thomas is Vice Chancellor of Middle East University FZE, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. He received his Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. abu Thomas, Director of International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. His research works are re ected in his six published research articles in international journals and few articles which are under review status. Also many articles are published in popular journals. He has a wide teaching experience in Chemistry for more than 32 years in Graduate and Postgraduate levels.

Preface

INTRODUCTION
Epoxy Resin - Introduction
Cure Reactions
Curing Agents
Catalytic Cure
Co-reactive Cure
Primary and Secondary Amines
Mercaptans
Isocyanates
Carboxylic Acids
Acid Anhydrides
Different Curing Methods
Thermal Curing
Microwave Curing
Radiation Curing
Electron Beam Curing
Gamma Ray Irradiation
Curing of Epoxy Resins: Structure-Property Relationship
Toughening of Epoxy Resin
Different Toughening Agents
Liquid Elastomers for Toughening Epoxy Matrices
Rigid Crystalline Polymers
Hygrothermal Toughening Agents
Core-Shell Particles
Nanoparticles for Epoxy Toughening
Thermoplastic Modification of Epoxy Resin
Block Copolymers as Modifiers for Epoxy Resin
Rubber-Modified Epoxy Resin: Factors Influencing Toughening
Concentration Effects
Particle Size and Distribution of Rubber
Effect of Temperature
Effect of Rubber
Interfacial Adhesion
Toughening Mechanisms in Elastomer-Modified Epoxy Resins
Particle Deformation
Shear Yielding
Crazing
Simultaneous Shear Yielding and Crazing
Crack Pinning
Cavitation and Rumples
Quantitative Assessment of Toughening Mechanisms
Introduction of Chapters

LIQUID RUBBERES AS TEOUGHENING AGENTS
Introduction
Toughening of Thermoset Resins
Fracture Behavior of Rubber-Toughened Thermosets
Natural Rubbers
Preparation Method of LNR
Oxidation in the Presence of Redox System
Oxidation by Photochemical Method
Oxidation at High Temperatures and High Pressures
Oxidation by Cleavage Reagent Specific to Double Bonds
Metathesis Degradation
Liquid-Toughening Rubber in Thermoset Resins
Concluding Remarks

NANOSTRUCTURED EPOXY COMPOSITES
Introduction
Preparation Methods of the Nanostructured Epoxy Thermoset
Morphology of the Nanostructured Epoxy Thermoset
Parameters Controlling the Morphologies
Blends Composition
The Choice of Curing Agent
Topological Architecture of the Copolymer
Microphase Separation Mechanism
Self-Assembly Mechanism
Reaction-Induced Microphase Separation Mechanism
Mechanical and Thermal Properties
Fracture Toughness
Glass Transition Temperature
Conclusions and Outlooks

MANUFACTURE OF EPOXY RESIN/LIQUID RUBBER BLENDS
Introduction
Comparison of Hardeners
Rubber-Toughened Epoxy Resins
Cure Reaction Analysis
Conclusions

CURUE AND CURE KINETICS OF EPOXY-RUBBER SYSTEMS
Introduction
Cure Analysis
Curing Kinetics
Kinetics Analysis
Autocatalytic Model
Activation Energies
Dynamic Kinetics Methods
Isothermal Methods
Diffusion Factor
Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Dynamic DSC
Isothermal DSC
FTIR Spectroscopy
Dielectric Spectroscopy Thermal Method
Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) Method
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Rheological Methods
Conclusions
Acknowledgments

THEORETICAL MODELING OF THE CURING PROCESS
Introduction
Modeling of the Curing Kinetics
Mechanistic Approach
Phenomenological Models Describing the Reaction
nth-Order Model
Autocatalytic Model
Kamal and Sourour Model
Bailleul Model
Rheological Models
Gel Time Model
Viscosity Model
Effect of Vitrification (Tg ) on the Reaction Rate
Applications of the Empirical Models
Conclusion

PHASE-SPARATION MECHANISM IN EPOXY RESIN/RUBBER BLENDS
Introduction
Thermodynamics of Phase Separation
Nucleation and Growth Mechanism
Spinodal Decomposition
Phase Separation in Uncured Epoxy Resin/Liquid Rubber Blends
Phase-Separation Mechanism in Cured Blends
Conclusion

MORPHOLOGY ANALYSIS BY MICROSOPY TECHNIQUES AND LIGHT SCATTERING
Introduction
Developments of Morphology Analysis in Rubber-Modified Epoxies
Optical Microscopy (OM)
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
Small-Angle Light Scattering (SALS)
Different Types of Morphologies
Phase-Separation Morphology of Epoxy/Rubbers Blends
Morphology of Hybrids
Homogeneous Morphology
Morphology of Toughening and Reinforcing Effects
Conventional Additives
Hyperbranched Polymers
Conclusions
Acknowledgments

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