Abstract
An amphiphilic poly(ethylene-alt-propylene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEP-PEO) block copolymer (BCP) was blended with a bisphenol A-based epoxy resin formulation and self-assembled into a worm-like micelle structure. With an incorporation of 5 wt% of the BCP material, the fracture toughness was improved by more than 100% over the neat epoxy. The morphology and mechanical properties of this BCP-modified epoxy were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fracture toughness measurements. Toughening mechanisms from the worm-like micelle modified material were investigated using the double-notch four-point-bending (DN-4PB) technique, and the results are compared to data obtained from the same epoxy thermoset formulation containing a BCP that self-assembled into spherical micelles. Elongated cylindrical micelles produce improved toughness, which is interpreted based on a combination of mechanisms including crack tip blunting, cavitation, particle debonding, limited shear yielding, and crack bridging. The implications of the present study for polymer toughening in general are also discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Technical Proceedings of the 2013 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Expo, NSTI-Nanotech 2013 |
| Pages | 597-600 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Volume | 1 |
| State | Published - Aug 9 2013 |
| Event | Nanotechnology 2013: Advanced Materials, CNTs, Particles, Films and Composites - 2013 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Expo, NSTI-Nanotech 2013 - Washington, DC, United States Duration: May 12 2013 → May 16 2013 |
Other
| Other | Nanotechnology 2013: Advanced Materials, CNTs, Particles, Films and Composites - 2013 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Expo, NSTI-Nanotech 2013 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Washington, DC |
| Period | 5/12/13 → 5/16/13 |
Keywords
- Block copolymer
- Epoxy toughening
- Micelle
- Rubber
- Worm-like micelle