0000000000862842
AUTHOR
G. Emmerson
Electron beam induced polymerisation of MMA in the presence of rubber: a novel process to produce tough materials
Abstract PMMA-rubber blends are formed through electron beam induced in situ polymerisation. The influence of rubber nature and irradiation dose has been investigated through mechanical tensile tests, solubility analysis and the results were related to material structure investigated through atomic force microscopy. Some blend formulations present a significant increase of ductility with respect to pure PMMA, without a dramatic decrease of modulus, yield stress and stress at break values. The results are interpreted on the basis of the criterion of the critical inter-particle thickness.
Properties and morphology of PMMA/ABN blends obtained via MMA in situ polymerisation through γ-rays
Abstract Methylmethacrylate polymerisation in the presence of 4 wt% butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber was carried out at fixed dose-rate and temperature. The effect of irradiation was investigated with respect to the mechanical and dynamic-mechanical properties in the solid state. A general increase of the “compatibilisation” on irradiation is obtained. In fact both rubber and polymethylmethacrylate glass transition temperatures, determined through dynamic-mechanical analysis, reveal the presence of strong interactions between the components. Furthermore an improvement of the mechanical tensile properties of the blends is observed when irradiation is continued after polymerisation, at least un…