ISSN:
0022-3832
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
The fine structures of emulsion polybutadiene prepared at temperatures ranging from 55°C. to -20°C. and of various butadiene-styrene copolymers prepared at -20°C. have been studied by x-ray methods. The ability of emulsion-polymerized butadiene to crystallize was found to depend to a large extent on the temperature of polymerization. Butadiene polymerized at 30°C. and above showed no evidences of crystallization when cooled unstretched to -70°C. as observed by x-ray diffraction methods; however, butadiene polymerized at 20°C. and below showed crystallization effects when cooled unstretched to -70°C. These crystallization effects became more pronounced for samples polymerized at lower temperatures. Layer-line diffraction patterns of butadiene polymerized at 30°C. and below were obtained by stretching the polymer at about 0°C. From these patterns the geometrical repeat distance along the polymer chains was found to be 5.1 ± 0.1 Å. This corresponds to a fully extended butadiene unit in the trans configuration. An anomaly was observed in the diffraction patterns of crystallizable polybutadiene stretched at 0°C. Some of the layer-line spots varied in position with per cent elongation of the sample. This suggests that the molecules in crystallites of the polymer are inclined to the stretch axis at low elongations and that they become more nearly parallel to the stretch axis at higher elongations. A small addition of styrene as comonomer at -20°C. polymerization temperature did not prevent crystallization and preferred orientation effects in the polymer, since these effects could still be found in a 90/10 charge copolymer. Larger amounts of styrene did prevent crystallinity and preferred orientation as shown by the amorphous nature of an 80/20 charge copolymer. The ability of a compounded vulcanizate of a given polymer to crystallize is less than that of the purified polymer under the same conditions. This may be due to the combined effects of milling, vulcanization, and the presence of carbon black particles in the polymer. A description of the apparatus and techniques used for cooling and stretching these polymers is given.
Additional Material:
10 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pol.1948.120030401
