Polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are of great interest in the field of gas separation membranes. Already the first synthesized PIM-1 shows extraordinary permeability and selectivity. Unfortunately, PIM-1 is susceptible to physical aging and thus gradually loses its outstanding properties. In this study a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane with phenethyl substituents (PhenethylPOSS) was used as a nanofiller (0–40 wt%) in the PIM-1 matrix to potentially improve the gas transport properties and prevent physical aging. The molecular mobility of the solution-cast nanocomposite films was analyzed by Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS). Furthermore, gas permeability was determined with the time lag method (0–20 bar upstream pressure) at 35 °C for N2, O2, CH4 and CO2.
In den letzten Jahren werden zunehmend Nanopartikel als Füllstoff für Polymere vorgeschlagen und auch erfolgreich in Elastomer-Nanocomposites eingesetzt. In dieser Arbeit wird Multilayergraphen (MLG) als Nanofüllstoff näher untersucht, der sich bereits bei geringen Konzentrationen als effizient erweist. MLG besteht aus nur etwa zehn Graphenlagen.
Chlorbutylkautschuk (CIIR)/MLG-Nanocomposites mit verschiedenen MLG-Gehalten wurden mit Hilfe eines ultraschallunterstützen Mischverfahrens in Lösung hergestellt und auf einem Walzwerk weiterverarbeitet. Das Einmischen von MLG führt zu einer deutlichen Verbesserung der rheologischen und mechanischen Eigenschaften, des Vernetzungsverhaltens sowie der Barrierewirkung gegenüber Gasen. Bereits der Zusatz von 3 phr MLG zu CIIR führt zu einem mehr als zweifach höheren E-Modul und zu einer Reduktion der Permeabilität von O2 und CO2 um 30 %. Höhere Konzentrationen an Nanofüllstoff resultieren in einer weiteren Verbesserung der Eigenschaften der Nanocomposites. Weiterhin zeigten die CIIR/MLG-Nanocomposites auch eine geringere Entflammbarkeit.
The damage mechanisms slow crack growth (SCG) and environmental stress cracking (ESC), relevant for PE-HD materials are characterized based on improved full notch creep testing (FNCT) of two selected typical PE-HD materials for container applications. In this context, a distinction of the failure mechanisms as well as a categorization of involved media is suggested. Employing a novel FNCT device, elongation data were obtained in addition to conventional time-to-failure results of stress-dependent as well as temperature-dependent measurements. Changes in failure behavior, as determined by fracture surface analysis based on light microscopy (LM) and laser scanning microscopy (LSM), are correlated with FNCT results and used to introduce an additional possibility for the identification of brittle/ductile fracture behavior.
Polymeric membranes represent a cost- and energy efficient solution for gas separation. Recently superglassy polymers with high free volume outperform many conventional dense polymers in terms of gas permeability and selectivity. However, such polymers are prone to pronounced physical aging, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the gas permeability. Molecular mobility of polymer segments plays an important role in the physical aging and the gas transport performance of polymeric membranes. Molecular mobility and physical aging of a representative superglassy polynorbornene with very high gas permeability, PTCNSi2g, was monitored by using dielectric spectroscopy with state-of-the-art high-resolution analyzers. This work helps to shed some light on the structure−property relationship of superglassy polymers on a molecular level and to provide practical “design rules” for the development of high performance polymers for gas separation.
The full-notch creep test (FNCT) is widely used to characterize the slow crack growth (SCG) behavior of polyolefin materials in “inert” media as well as effects of environmental stress cracking (ESC) in which the medium has decisive influence on damage mechanism and time to failure. The test is of greatest importance for pipe and blow molding types of polyethylene, high density (PE-HD). Usually the full-notch creep test is applied as a standardized testing method (ISO 16770) using a few universal liquid media, such as solutions of Arkopal N 100. In our study, selected relevant polyethylene, high density materials are investigated also in real media – practical formulations as well as representative pure chemicals – and influences of temperature and geometry of specimen and notch are explicitly addressed. Furthermore, the investigations comprise also the environmental stress cracking behavior of polyethylene, high density in media that are sorbed to a significant extent – examples are diesel and biodiesel – based on comparison with samples previously saturated with those media. Thus, also the underlying diffusion controlled sorption process has to be assessed before. The investigations were performed using a full-notch creep testing device with 12 individual sub-stations, each equipped with individual electronic stress and temperature control and continuous online monitoring of the specimen elongation.