Morphological Behavior of Thin Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Films

Correlating the Macrostructural Variations of an Ion Gel with Its Carbon Dioxide Sorption Capacity

We report on a direct correlation between the macroscale structural variations and the gas sorption capacities of an ion gel. Here, we chose 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide ([Emim][TF₂N]) and poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) as the ionic liquid and host polymer, respectively. The CO₂ sorption in the thin films of the IL-polymer was measured using the gravimetric method. The results of our experiment showed that the trend in CO₂ uptake of these mixtures was nonlinearly correlated with the content of IL. Here, we highlight that the variations in the molecular structure of the polymers were the main reason behind the observed trend. The presented data suggested the possibility of using the composition of mixtures containing IL and polymers to realize a synergistic gain for gas sorption in these mixtures.

Local orientation of chains at crystal/amorphous interfaces buried in isotactic polypropylene thin films

A better understanding of the aggregation states of polymer chains in thin films is of pivotal importance for developing thin film polymer devices in addition to its inherent scientific interest. Here we report the preferential orientation of the crystalline lamellae for isotactic polypropylene (iPP) in spin-coated films by grazing incidence of wide-angle X-ray diffraction in conjunction with sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy, which provides information on the local conformation of chains at crystal/amorphous interfaces buried in a thin film. The crystalline orientation of iPP, which formed cross-hatched lamellae induced by lamellar branching, altered from a mixture of edge-on and face-on mother lamellae to preferential face-on mother lamellae with decreasing thickness. The orientation of methyl groups at the crystal/amorphous interfaces in the interior region of the iPP films changed, accompanied by a change in the lamellar orientation.

Identification of the LLDPE Constitutive Material Model for Energy Absorption in Impact Applications

Current industrial trends bring new challenges in energy absorbing systems. Polymer materials as the traditional packaging materials seem to be promising due to their low weight, structure, and production price. Based on the review, the linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) material was identified as the most promising material for absorbing impact energy. The current paper addresses the identification of the material parameters and the development of a constitutive material model to be used in future designs by virtual prototyping. The paper deals with the experimental measurement of the stress-strain relations of linear low-density polyethylene under static and dynamic loading. The quasi-static measurement was realized in two perpendicular principal directions and was supplemented by a test measurement in the 45° direction, i.e., exactly between the principal directions. The quasi-static stress-strain curves were analyzed as an initial step for dynamic strain rate-dependent material behavior. The dynamic response was tested in a drop tower using a spherical impactor hitting a flat material multi-layered specimen at two different energy levels. The strain rate-dependent material model was identified by optimizing the static material response obtained in the dynamic experiments. The material model was validated by the virtual reconstruction of the experiments and by comparing the numerical results to the experimental ones.

Crystalline and Spherulitic Morphology of Polymers Crystallized in Confined Systems

Due to the effects of microphase separation and physical dimensions, confinement widely exists in the multi-component polymer systems (e.g., polymer blends, copolymers) and the polymers having nanoscale dimensions, such as thin films and nanofibers. Semicrystalline polymers usually show different crystallization kinetics, crystalline structure and morphology from the bulk when they are confined in the nanoscale environments; this may dramatically influence the physical performances of the resulting materials. Therefore, investigations on the crystalline and spherulitic morphology of semicrystalline polymers in confined systems are essential from both scientific and technological viewpoints; significant progresses have been achieved in this field in recent years. In this article, we will review the recent research progresses on the crystalline and spherulitic morphology of polymers crystallized in the nanoscale confined environments. According to the types of confined systems, crystalline, spherulitic morphology and morphological evolution of semicrystalline polymers in the ultrathin films, miscible polymer blends and block copolymers will be summarized and reviewed.

Simulation study of twisted crystal growth in organic thin films

Many polymer and organic small-molecule thin films crystallize with microstructures that twist or curve in a regular manner as crystal growth proceeds. Here we present a phase-field model that energetically favors twisting of the three-dimensional crystalline orientation about and along particular axes, allowing morphologies such as banded spherulites, curved dendrites, and "s"- or "c"-shaped needle crystals to be simulated. When twisting about the fast-growing crystalline axis is energetically favored and spherulitic growth conditions are imposed, crystallization occurs in the form of banded spherulites composed of radially oriented twisted crystalline fibers. Due to the lack of symmetry, twisting along the normal growth direction leads to heterochiral banded spherulites with opposite twist handedness in each half of the spherulite. When twisting is instead favored about the axis perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and along the normal growth direction under diffusion-limited single-crystalline growth conditions, crystallization occurs in the form of curved dendrites with uniformly rotating branches. We show that the rate at which the branches curve affects not only the morphology but also the overall kinetics of crystallization, as the total crystallized area at a given time is maximized for a finite turning rate.

Structural evolution during mechanical deformation in high-barrier PVDF-TFE/PET multilayer films using in situ X-ray techniques

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (PVDF-TFE) is confined between alternating layers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) utilizing a unique multilayer processing technology, in which PVDF-TFE and PET are melt-processed in a continuous fashion. Postprocessing techniques including biaxial orientation and melt recrystallization were used to tune the crystal orientation of the PVDF-TFE layers, as well as achieve crystallinity in the PET layers through strain-induced crystallization and thermal annealing during the melt recrystallization step. A volume additive model was used to extract the effect of crystal orientation within the PVDF-TFE layers and revealed a significant enhancement in the modulus from 730 MPa in the as-extruded state (isotropic) to 840 MPa in the biaxially oriented state (on-edge) to 2230 MPa in the melt-recrystallized state (in-plane). Subsequently, in situ wide-angle X-ray scattering was used to observe the crystal structure evolution during uniaxial deformation in both the as-extruded and melt-recrystallized states. It is observed that the low-temperature ferroelectric PVDF-TFE crystal phase in the as-extruded state exhibits equatorial sharpening of the 110 and 200 crystal peaks during deformation, quantified using the Hermans orientation function, while in the melt-recrystallized state, an overall increase in the crystallinity occurs during deformation. Thus, we correlated the mechanical response (strain hardening) of the films to these respective evolved crystal structures and highlighted the ability to tailor mechanical response. With a better understanding of the structural evolution during deformation, it is possible to more fully characterize the structural response to handling during use of the high-barrier PVDF-TFE/PET multilayer films as commercial dielectrics and packaging materials.

Rhythmic Growth Combined with Lamellar Twisting Induces Poly(ethylene adipate) Nested Ring-Banded Structures

Previously, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) classical ring-banded spherulites with periodic twisted lamellae and nonclassical concentric ringed structures induced by rhythmic growth were obtained by modulating the competition between diffusion flux and spherulitic growth. In this study, the modulation of diffusion flux and spherulitic growth on ring-banded structures is further studied, and hierarchical nested ring-banded patterns with a banded structure nested in the ridge rings of the other concentric ringed structure are prepared during slow solvent evaporation in poly(ethylene adipate) (PEA) solution films. The structural characterizations reveal that the big concentric ringed structure derives from periodic variation of thicknesses and that the small inner banded structure consists of periodic twisted lamellae. A diffusion-induced rhythmic growth mechanism and an unbalanced surface stress induced lamellar twisting model are proposed to illustrate the formation of the big concentric and the inner banded structures, respectively.