M. Kalnins

Improvement of the deformative characteristics of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate by plasticization

Plasticized systems of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) are studied, where low-molecular compounds traditionally used for this purpose for various systems, i.e., dioctyl sebacate, dibutyl sebacate, polyethylene glycol, Laprol 503, and Laprol 5003, are used as plasticizers. All of them are nontoxic and biodegradable compounds with a similar molecular weight and comparable polarity of molecules. The main purpose of this study is to improve the deformability of PHB taking into account the structural changes in plasticized PHBs. The plasticizers chosen are completely compatible with the polymer and form a monophase system up to a plasticizer content of 15–20%. An increase in the plasticizer content allows us to increase efficiently the deformability of the polymer (the relative breaking elongation of PHB at room temperature grows up to 250–300%). At the same time, the system becomes considerably weaker and therefore there is no point in increasing the concentration of plasticizers by more than 20 wt.%. According to the data obtained from DSC measurements, the ratio between the amorphous and crystalline regions of PHB in the presence of plasticizers mentioned remains practically constant. The changes in the elastic properties of PHB/low-molecular plasticizer systems are mainly due to efficient weakening of intermolecular interactions in the amorphous regions of the polymer. A slight decrease in the crystalline order of PHB is of secondary importance.

Effect of water sorption on some mechanical parameters of composite systems based on low-density polyethylene and microcrystalline cellulose

Strength-deformation characteristics of low-density polyethylene filled with microcrystalline cellulose “Thermocell” as a function of the TC content (up to 0.7 parts by weight) are studied. Characteristics such as elastic modulus, relative elongation at break, ultimate strength, and work of failure are determined. Water sorption and change in the size and strength-deformation characteristics of composite specimens during exposure to boiling water (560 min) are also studied. It is shown that with greater filler content it is possible to increase the strength-deformation characteristics of LDPE, such as elastic modulus and tensile strength. The growth of the ultimate strength is associated with the formation of a specific filler framework with increasing filler content. It is found that the main factors which cause a decrease in the elastic modulus and softening of the composite are failure of the filler framework as well as formation of stresses and voids during water sorption by the composite. It is demonstrated that the steady reproducibility of the composition, attainable high filling degrees, and ecological safety make Thermocell a promising filler for polyethylene.

Thermomechanical and adhesive properties of radiation-modified polymer composites for thermosetting products

Gamma-irradiated blends of polyethylene (PE) with ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM) and a thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymer (LCP) are investigated at absorbed radiation doses not exceeding 150 kGy (10 kGy=1 Mrad). The temperature dependences of elastic moduli, tension diagrams at a temperature above the melting point of the crystalline phase of PE, and long-term strain recovery curves for oriented test specimens are presented. The kinetics of thermal relaxation and shrinkage stresses in previously oriented composite specimens upon their heating and cooling is investigated. Data on the influence of LCP additions on the adhesive interaction of the compositions with steel are obtained. The peculiarities of thermomechanical and adhesion properties of these composites are discussed taking into account the morphologic and calorimetric data obtained.

Physicomechanical Properties of One-Dimensional Periodic Structures by Transmission of Laser-Excited Wide-Band Acoustic Pulses

The strength-deformation characteristics of a low-density polyethylene filled with cellulose-containing products, such as microcrystalline cellulose “Thermocell,” pinewood grinding dust and sawdust, and technical Thermocell obtained by a thermocatalytic method from pinewood raw materials are studied. The effect of the type of the filler and its content in the composite on the tensile strength, relative elongation, and work of failure in tension is determined. The water sorption and change in the strength-deformation characteristics of the composites during water sorption and desorption are also studied. It is found that the thermocatalytic treatment of cellulose-containing fillers makes it possible to increase the tensile strength of composites and to decrease the strength drop caused by water sorption.

Biodegradable materials from plasticized PHB biomass

Biodegradation rate in different environments as well as deformation characteristics of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), PHB biomass and of plasticized systems thereof have been investigated. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and oxypropylated glycerine or laprol (LAP) were selected as plasticizers. Increase of the content of plasticizer from 5 to 50 % gave rise of the elongation at break from 4 to 25 % for LAP and from 2 to 9 % for PEG, respectively. No significant changes of strength were recorded. It remained comparatively small - around 2.5 MPa. PHB, biomass and the PHB composition containing 10 % PEG completely decomposed in soil during 30 days. PHB containing 33 % of biologically stable LAP additives lost half of its mass at the same period. Structural changes of plasticized biomass are also shown.

Studies on Morphology, Rheological, Mechanical, and Thermorelaxation Properties of Chemically and Radiation Modified Polyethylene/Ethylene Propylene-Diene Copolymer Blends

Experimental studies of the blends consisting of chemically and radiation modified polyethylene and ethylene -propylene -diene copolymers have been carried out. Measurements of crystallinity, microhardness, strength-deformation, viscoelastic, adhesive and thermorelaxation properties, as well as electron microscope observations, have shown that the blends chemically vulcanized by a special elastomer phase crosslinking system has a typical biphasic structure within the entire composition range with characteristics specific for rubber. Subsequently, radiation vulcanized blends where crosslinking takes place in both disperse phases, formation of chemical bonds between these phases and fibrillation of molecular structures is observed. Consequently, it can be stated that radiation treatment shows the best properties of the blends in comparison with chemical vulcanization. Therefore, materials formed by such a systcm can be successfully used, e.g., as elastic and adhesive active thermosetting materials if the polymer is previously oriented.

Characterization of various kinds of paper as reinforcement for biodegradable polymer composites

Some structural characteristics and properties of a diverse paper selection were studied with the aim to create biodegradable polymer composites for packaging materials. Paper in such composites would serve as a reinforcement and biodegradable polymer as a matrix. Tensile and tear properties of the tested papers depended not only on paper density (or void content) but also on some other paper structure features. As polymers for composite production are applied from solution, the impact of solvent on the mechanical properties of paper was investigated.

Identification of the elastic modulus of polymeric materials by using thin-walled cylindrical specimens

A method for determining the elastic modulus of polymeric materials from deformation diagrams of thin-walled circular cylindrical shells in compression and tension in the region of geometrical nonlinearity has been elaborated. A numerical solution is found by the finite-element method (ANSYS.) The existence of a unified deformation diagram in generalized coordinates is established, from which the elastic modulus is determined. To validate the method, the eigenfrequencies of cylindrical specimens were found experimentally. The results obtained are compared with FEM calculations.

Properties of compositions based on post-consumer rigid polyurethane foams and low-density thermoplastic resins

Several composition systems based on post-consumer rigid polyurethane (PUR) foam and low-density thermoplastic resin - polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) - have been investigated to determine their optimal processing conditions. Detailed research work on the mechanical properties of the compositions has been carried out to expand application possibilities of the tested binary composition systems. Also the effect of the thermoplastic matrix on the molecular structure of the rigid PUR foams has been studied.

Features of thermomechanical properties of radiation-modified blends of high-density polyethylene with liquid-crystalline copolyester

The present paper surveys the investigation results of gamma-irradiated blends of high-density polyethylene (PE) with thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymer (LCP). The LCP used was a liquid crystalline copolyester of 40% poly(ethyleneterephthalate) with 60% p-(hydroxybenzoic acid). The LCP content in the blends was 0,5, and 10 wt.%. The constituents were blended with the use of a single-screw extruder. The samples were prepared by compression molding and irradiated by a Co60 γ-radiation source in an inert atmosphere (argon) to relatively low absorbed doses (up to 200 kGy; 1 Mrad=10 kGy). Morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties in a wide temperature range were investigated for the irradiated and nonirradiated samples. The effects of gamma-irradiation and LCP addition on the thermomechanical behavior of PE are discussed. It was found that the LCP addition affected significantly the stress-strain behavior of PE at temperatures above the melting point. The features of thermorelaxation properties of the PE/LCP blends previously irradiated and oriented, particularly thermorelaxation and residual shrinkage stresses at isometric heating and cooling, were also established. The results obtained testify that the LCP addition makes it possible to improve considerably the thermosetting properties of irradiated PE.