Effect of the Molecular Structure Change of a Matrix Polymer (Nylon 6) on the Deformation of Dispersed Phase (a Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer) Droplets in Shear Flow.

In this work, we investigated the effect of a change in the molecular structure and ensuing molar mass change of a matrix polymer (polyamide 6, Ny 6) on droplet deformation of a dispersed thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP, a poly(ester amide)) in shear flow. This study focuses on a total capillary number (the sum of the shear capillary number and the elasticity capillary number) and the viscosity ratio between the TLCP and Ny 6, for the morphological development and mechanical performance of TLCP/Ny 6 blends. In contrast to Ny 6, which has a lower melt viscosity than the TLCP melt, a modified Ny 6 (m-Ny 6) with .

Nonisothermal Crystallization Behaviors of Structure-Modified Polyamides (Nylon 6s).

The morphological development and thermal properties of different polyamides with long-chain branches without forming a network structure were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics. The crystallization characteristics were analyzed using the nonisothermal kinetic equation proposed by Seo. Polarized optical microscopy and the Avrami exponent show the effect of the structural changes on the molecular ordering during the crystallization and early morphological development.

Effect of Molecular Structure Change on the Melt Rheological Properties of a Polyamide (Nylon 6).

Tailoring the polymer melt rheology and the chain relaxation dynamics permits easy handling of polymer processing and enables broader range of applications. Novel strategy to control the polymer melt rheology and the chain relaxation dynamics was devised. A simple process for molecular structural change in a polyamide (nylon 6) to easily generate a long-chain branching in a controllable manner without forming a network structure led to unusually large enhancements in the relaxation dynamics.

Searching for a Stable High-Performance Magnetorheological Suspension.

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are a type of smart material with rheological properties that may be controlled through mesostructural transformations. MR fluids form solid-like fibril structures along the magnetic field direction upon application of a magnetic field due to magnetopolarization of soft-magnetic particles when suspended in an inert medium. A reverse structural transition occurs upon removal of the applied field.

High-Performance Magnetorheological Suspensions of Pickering-Emulsion-Polymerized Polystyrene/FeO Particles with Enhanced Stability.

The magnetorheological (MR) performance of suspensions based on core-shell-structured foamed polystyrene (PSF)/FeO particles was investigated by using a vibrating sample magnetometer and a rotational rheometer. Core-shell-structured polystyrene (PS)/FeO was synthesized by using the Pickering-emulsion polymerization method in which FeO nanoparticles were added as a solid surfactant. Foaming the PS core in PS/FeO particles was carried out by using a supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO) fluid.

Static yield stress of a magnetorheological fluid containing Pickering emulsion polymerized Fe2O3/polystyrene composite particles.

The flow behaviors of magnetorheological (MR) suspensions containing Pickering emulsion polymerized Fe2O3/polystyrene (PS) composite particles were reanalyzed using the Seo-Seo model. The experimental shear stress data obtained experimentally from the magnetorheological fluid fit well to the Seo-Seo model, indicating that this model can describe the structural reformation process of the aligned fibers at various shear rates. Unlike the dynamic yield stress obtained from the Cho-Choi-Jhon (CCJ) model, the static yield stresses obtained from the Seo-Seo model exhibit the same quadratic dependence on the magnetic field strength for both pure Fe2O3 particle suspension and Fe2O3/PS particle suspensions, which is in agreement with the predictions of the polarization model.

Dispersion and reaggregation of nanoparticles in the polypropylene copolymer foamed by supercritical carbon dioxide.

For the preparation of nanocomposites, we conducted environmentally benign foaming processing on polypropylene (PP) copolymer/clay nanocomposites via a batch process in an autoclave. We investigated the dispersion and the exfoliation of the nanoclay particles. Full exfoliation was achieved by the foamability of the matrix PP copolymer using supercritical carbon dioxide (sc CO2) and subcritical carbon dioxide (sub CO2).

Analysis of giant electrorheological fluids.

The yield stress dependence on electric field strength for giant electrorheological (GER) fluids over the full range of electric fields was examined using Seo's scaling function which incorporated both the polarization and the conductivity models. If a proper scaling was applied to the yield stress data to collapse them onto a single curve, the Seo's scaling function could correctly fit the yield stress behavior of GER suspensions, even at very high electric field strengths. The model predictions were also compared with recently proposed Choi et al.

Modeling and analysis of electrorheological suspensions in shear flow.

A model capable of describing the flow behavior of electrorheological (ER) suspensions under different electric field strengths and over the full range of shear rates is proposed. Structural reformation in the low shear rate region is investigated where parts of a material are in an undeformed state, while aligned structures reform under the shear force. The model's predictions were compared with the experimental data of some ER fluids as well as the CCJ (Cho-Choi-Jhon) model.

Enhanced interfacial adhesion between an amorphous polymer (polystyrene) and a semicrystalline polymer [a polyamide (nylon 6)].

We studied enhanced interfacial adhesion between an amorphous polymer (polystyrene, PS) and a semicrystalline polymer (a polyamide, Ny6). The fracture mechanism for this system was investigated to elicit a universal description on the fracture mechanism. The surface modification of PS to provide functional groups that can react with the functional groups of Ny6 was carried out with ion-beam and/or plasma treatment.