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Nanophase morphology and crystallization in poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polydimethylsiloxane‐ block ‐poly(methyl methacrylate) blends
Author(s) -
Seraji Seyed Mohsen,
Gui Haoguan,
Zhang Jin,
Guo Qipeng
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.5725
Subject(s) - materials science , copolymer , polydimethylsiloxane , methyl methacrylate , crystallization , polymer chemistry , morphology (biology) , micelle , chemical engineering , methacrylate , polymer , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , genetics , biology , aqueous solution , engineering
A polydimethylsiloxane‐ block ‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PDMS‐ b ‐PMMA) diblock copolymer was synthesized by the atom transfer radical polymerization method and blended with a high‐molecular‐weight poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). In this A‐ b ‐B/C type of diblock copolymer/homopolymer system, semi‐crystallizable PVDF (C) and PMMA (B) block are miscible due to favorable intermolecular interactions. However, the A block (PDMS) is immiscible with PVDF and therefore generates nanostructured morphology via self‐assembly. Crystallization study reveals that both α and γ crystalline phases of PVDF are present in the blends with up to 30 wt% of PDMS‐ b ‐PMMA block copolymer. Adding 10 wt% of PVDF to PDMS‐ b ‐PMMA diblock copolymer leads to worm‐like micelle morphology of PDMS of 10 nm in diameter and tens of nanometers in length. Moreover, morphological results show that PDMS nanostructures are localized in the inter‐fibrillar region of PVDF with the addition of up to 20 wt% of the block copolymer. Increase of PVDF long period by 45% and decrease of degree of crystallization by 34% confirm the localization of PDMS in the PVDF inter‐fibrillar region. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry