Influence of molecular weight between crosslinks on the mechanical properties of polymers formed via ring-opening metathesis.

The apparent molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc,a) in a polymer network plays a fundamental role in the network mechanical response. We systematically varied Mc,a independent of strong noncovalent bonding by using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) to co-polymerize dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) with a chain extender that increases Mc,a or a di-functional crosslinker that decreases Mc,a. We compared the ROMP series quasi-static modulus (E), tensile yield stress (σy), and fracture toughness (KIC and GIC) in the glassy regime with literature data for more polar thermosets.

Corrigendum: Dynamics of supersonic microparticle impact on elastomers revealed by real-time multi-frame imaging.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep25577.

Dynamics of supersonic microparticle impact on elastomers revealed by real-time multi-frame imaging.

Understanding high-velocity microparticle impact is essential for many fields, from space exploration to medicine and biology. Investigations of microscale impact have hitherto been limited to post-mortem analysis of impacted specimens, which does not provide direct information on the impact dynamics. Here we report real-time multi-frame imaging studies of the impact of 7 μm diameter glass spheres traveling at 700-900 m/s on elastomer polymers.