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Strong thermoplastic elastomers created using nickel nanopowder

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Abstract

We have decided to investigate whether addition of nickel (Ni) to a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) will make TPE properties better for demanding applications. We have found that Ni particles moved well during low (100 °C) temperature blending, with the polymer providing more uniform particle dispersion. In contrast, at 160 °C, lower viscosity prevented particle dispersion and supported Ni agglomerations. All samples processed at low temperatures showed increased (by ≈10 °C) melting temperatures, higher crystallinity, and a 1.5 times higher Young’s modulus E. While addition of Ni increases brittleness B of the blends, and so does vulcanization, a combination of both treatments lowers B. Some Ni particles go into existing free volume spaces in vulcanized materials thus enhancing mechanical properties including the storage modulus E′; some other filler particles create new free volume pockets increasing the elongation at break; thus, Ni particles at both kinds of locations provide lower values of brittleness. The addition of 0.5 wt% Ni particles to the uncured TPE matrix decreases the amount of extracted gel by 68.0 wt%. We used both Ni and oxidized Ni; they bestow similar properties on the TPE while providing stronger and less brittle materials than neat TPE.

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Acknowledgments

We appreciate discussions with Olena Astahova, Michael Bratychak, Volodymyr Donchak, and Olena Shyshchak, all at Lvivska Politechnika National University; with Georg Broza and Karl Schulte, Technical University of Hamburg; with Victor Castaño and J. Rogelio Rodriguez, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Queretaro; with Helena Janik, Technical University of Gdansk; with Aglaia Vassilikou-Dova and Ioannis Kalogeras, University of Athens; and also with Tomasz Sterzynski, Poznan University of Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Advanced Polymers & Optimized Materials (LAPOM), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART), University of North Texas, 1150 Union Circle # 305310, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA

    Witold Brostow, Martina Brozynski & Tea Datashvili

  2. Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico, 50120, Mexico

    Oscar Olea-Mejía

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  1. Witold Brostow
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  2. Martina Brozynski
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Correspondence to Witold Brostow.

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Brostow, W., Brozynski, M., Datashvili, T. et al. Strong thermoplastic elastomers created using nickel nanopowder. Polym. Bull. 67, 1671–1696 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-011-0571-3

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