Premium
Influence of Phase Separation Behaviour on Toughness of Compression Moulded SBS Star Block Copolymer/Polystyrene Blends
Author(s) -
Buschnakowski M.,
Adhikari R.,
Ilisch S.,
Seydewitz V.,
Godehardt R.,
Lebek W.,
Michler G. H.,
Knoll K.,
Schade C.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200690030
Subject(s) - polystyrene , materials science , polybutadiene , copolymer , composite material , crazing , toughness , phase (matter) , natural rubber , deformation (meteorology) , ultimate tensile strength , polymer chemistry , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry
The influence of homopolymer molecular weight and compression moulding on morphology formation and deformation behaviour of binary blends of polystyrene‐polybutadiene based star block copolymer and polystyrene (PS) homopolymer was investigated. The samples used were a polystyrene‐(polystyrene‐co‐polybutadiene)‐polystyrene (S‐S/B‐S) star block copolymer and anionically prepared polystyrene (aPS). The techniques used were transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and uniaxial tensile testing. A wide range of segregation behaviour was observed depending on the ratio of the length of aPS chains relative to that of corresponding outer blocks of the block copolymer. For the first time, the formation of macrophase‐separated ‘droplet‐like’ morphology has been reported, which endows the block copolymer/polystyrene blends with higher toughness. The mechanical properties of blends are discussed in the light of micromechanical processes of deformation. The micromechanical mechanisms and their dependence with inter domain distance are similar to the mechanisms found in rubber network toughened systems.