Search results for "Chemical engineering"

Functional end groups for polymers prepared using ring-opening metathesis polymerization.

2011

The precise placement of functional groups on the chain-ends of macromolecules is a major focus of polymer research. Most common living polymerization techniques offer specific methods of end-functionalization governed by the active propagating species and the kinetics of the polymerization reaction. Ring-opening metathesis polymerization has established itself as one of the most functional-group-tolerant living polymerization techniques known, but this tolerance has limited the number of available functionalization reactions. Metathesis chemists have therefore been required to develop a variety of end-functionalizations, adapting each of them to the reactivity scheme of the particular cata…

Polymeric gegenions induced variability and mobility of amphiphilic supramolecular structures on solid substrates

1992

Abstract The micromorphological variations of amphiphilic L -glutamate derivatives at air-substrate interfaces due to an adjacent mobile polymer matrix have been investigated via fluorescence microscopy. Adjusted monolayers of the L -glutamate derivatives have been transferred by LB technique out of different aggregation states onto various substrates. The substrates have been prepared by successive polymer preadsorption to the solid support. The influence of the adjacent polymer layers on the domain morphology as a function of water content and temperature has been examined intensively. Moreover, reversible domain changes induced by temperature variation of the transferred films have been …

Cooperative formation of inorganic-organic interfaces in the synthesis of silicate mesostructures.

1993

A model is presented to explain the formation and morphologies of surfactant-silicate mesostructures. Three processes are identified: multidentate binding of silicate oligomers to the cationic surfactant, preferential silicate polymerization in the interface region, and charge density matching between the surfactant and the silicate. The model explains present experimental data, including the transformation between lamellar and hexagonal mesophases, and provides a guide for predicting conditions that favor the formation of lamellar, hexagonal, or cubic mesostructures. Model Q(230) proposed by Mariani and his co-workers satisfactorily fits the x-ray data collected on the cubic mesostructure …

Organization of Organic Molecules with Inorganic Molecular Species into Nanocomposite Biphase Arrays

1994

Films of Halloysite Nanotubes Sandwiched between Two Layers of Biopolymer: From the Morphology to the Dielectric, Thermal, Transparency, and Wettabil…

2011

This study focused on the preparation and characterization of films based on biopolymers (hydroxypropylcellulose and low methoxyl pectin) and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). The morphology is strongly dependent on the polymer nature. In particular, we observed a sandwich-like structure composed of two hydroxypropylcellulose layers incorporating the HNTs and a homogeneous distribution of the nanotubes into the low methoxyl pectin matrix. The different mesoscopic properties were invoked to explain the dielectric, thermal, and wettability properties of the corresponding films. Nanocomposites obtained by combining materials from renewable resources and HNTs is a challenging task in view of designi…

Effect of the Biopolymer Charge and the Nanoclay Morphology on Nanocomposite Materials

2016

This work represents a contribution to the design, preparation, and characterization of nanocomposite materials based on biocompatible components. The effects of composition, filler geometry, and polymer charge were highlighted, and their role on the final properties of the nanocomposites was revealed. We combined some biopolymers (methylcellulose, alginate, chitosan) with two nanoclays (kaolinite sheets and halloysite nanotubes) to prepare nanocomposites by means of the casting method from water. The thermal stability, the surface wettability, and the mechanical properties of the obtained films were studied. SEM micrographs highlighted the surface morphology of the biocomposite materials. …

Bio-inspired Resorbable Calcium Phosphate-Polymer Nanocomposites for Bone Healing Devices with Controlled Drug Release

2011

In orthopedic research, increasing attention is being paid to bioresorbable composite materials as an attractive alternative to permanent metal bone healing devices. Typical composites consist of a biodegradable polyester matrix loaded with bioactive calcium phosphate ceramic particles (tricalcium phosphate, TCP or hydroxyapatite, HA) added to improve the biological response and mechanical properties of the neat polymer. The mechanical behavior of such particle-reinforced composites, however, falls far short of the expected performance in high-load bearing situations. Replicating some features of nacre—a strong and tough natural nanocomposite with a very high content of brittle inorganic ph…

Synthesis, Morphology and Rheological Behavior of Fluoropolymer-Polyacrylate Nanocomposites

2007

Nanocomposite materials composed of a PTFE copolymer core and an acrylic copolymer shell have been prepared by seeded emulsion polymerization. The effect of seed particle number and shell polymer composition on secondary particle nucleation and film formation ability of the dispersions has been studied. While TEM reveals a core-shell structure present in the particles, AFM investigation of the film shows a nearly uniform dispersion of the fluorinated seed particles in a matrix formed by the shell polymer. Rheological measurements show composite behavior of the core-shell latex films, especially at elevated temperatures, and an increase in viscosity and storage modulus when compared with the…

Organoclay Nanocomposites from Ethylene-Acrylic Acid Copolymers

2006

A study of the structure–property relationships for nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding from ethylene–acrylic acid copolymers of varied composition and molecular architecture, and organoclays modified with different ammonium ions has been made by DSC, POM, SEM, TEM, WAXD, and rheological and mechanical tests. Within the series of clays investigated, the best levels of dispersion were displayed by those organically modified with quaternary ammonium ions containing two long alkyl tails. The relevant nanocomposites were shown to possess mixed exfoliated and intercalated morphology. The spacing of the intercalated clay stacks, most of which comprise few silicate layers, was found to be …

Thermo-Mechanical Degradation of LDPE-Based Nanocomposites

2007

Thermo-mechanical degradation of LDPE-based nanocomposites was studied by mainly investigating the rheological properties. For all of the investigated processing conditions, the viscosity of the nanocomposites was higher than that of the pure-LDPE matrix, but on increasing the severity of the mixing conditions, the difference between the viscosity of the nano-filled polymer and that of the pure LDPE decreased. The X-ray traces of the nanocomposites suggest that intercalation has been achieved during the melt, when less-severe processing conditions were used. At severe processing conditions (longer mixing time, high temperature and shear stress) the thermo-mechanical degradation was accelera…