Study on Nanocomposite Thermoplastic Elastomer Gels

Abstract

The effect of several network-forming nanoscale materials such as two different types of graphite and multiwalled carbon nanotube on the property development of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) gels prepared from microphaseordered poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS) triblock copolymer dissolved in paraffin oil was studied. Dynamic rheological measurements of the resultant nanocomposite TPE (NCTPE) gels showed that at temperature between 30 8C to 40 8C below the gel point, the NCTPE gels have dynamic storage modulus greater than loss modulus (G 0 and G 00 ), thereby indicating that at ambient temperature a physical network is still present despite the addition of nanoparticles. In general, the nanoparticles lower the gelation temperature. The X-ray diffraction of NCTPE gels showed that EG2 system exhibited intercalation, those with CNTs exhibited exfoliation and EG1 did not change at all.

Dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in thermoplastic elastomer gels: Morphological, rheological, and electrical properties

“…The aim of this article is to determine the effect of MWCNTs on the rheological, thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of NCTPEGs from microphaseordered poly(styrene-b-(etheylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene (SEBS) dissolved in hydrocarbon oil properties. The results obtained here further add to the insight gleaned from previous experiment of triblock copolymer [8][9][10], which primarily focused on rheological and morphological properties of NCTPEGs. Hopefully, this work gives new advancement in the field of nanocomposite polymer gels with wider application.…”

“…MWCNT was first dispersed in chloroform before it was added to the mixture. The mixture is composed of 20% SEBS, 1% Irganox antioxidant, 80 % mineral oil, and 1-10 wt% MWCNTs and prepared in similar elsewhere as well as the parent thermoplastic elastomer gels (TPEGs) [10]. The resultant hybrid gels were compression-molded without applying much pressure for 5 minutes at 1308C to yield sample measuring 2.0 to 2.5 mm thickness.…”

“…Silva et al [7] have examined the rheological properties of intercalated nanocomposites based on a poly(styrene-b-isoprene) (SI) diblock copolymer and a dimethyl/dioctadecyl-substituted montmorillonite (silicate). The morphology and viscoelastic behavior of nanocomposite thermoplastic elastomer gels (NCTPEGs) modified by different silica nanoparticles [8], nanoclays and multiwalled carbon nanotubes [9], and nanographite [10] was recently reported.…”

Dielectric and thermal properties of thermoplastic elastomer gels in the presence of nanographite

“…NCTPE gels composed of 20% SEBS, 1% Irganox antioxidant, 80 % mineral oil, and 1-50 wt% different types of nanographite such as: expandable graphite (EG), exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP), were prepared in similar manner elsewhere [14,15]. The resultant hybrid gels were compression-molded without applying much pressure for 5 minutes at 130 o C to yield sample measuring 2.0 to 2.5 mm thickness.…”

“…Unusual properties are induced by the physical presence of the nanoparticle and by the interaction of the polymer with the particle and the state of dispersion. The morphology and viscoelastic behavior of nanocomposite thermoplastic elastomer gels (NCTPEGs) modified by different silica nanoparticles [12] nanoclays and multiwalled carbon nanotubes [13] and nanographite [14][15] was recently reported.…”