Influence of Domain Size on Toughness of Poly(styrene-block-butadiene) Star Block Copolymer/Polystyrene Blends

✍ Scribed by Ralf Lach; Roland Weidisch; Andreas Janke; Konrad Knoll

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 280 KB
• Volume: 25
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1022-1336
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.200400411

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Summary: The toughness of poly(styrene‐block‐butadiene) star block copolymer/polystyrene (PS) blends have been investigated using the essential‐work‐of‐fracture approach. The blends show a co‐continuous or layer‐like structure of polystyrene‐rich and polybutadiene‐rich domains arising from the used extrusion process. A tough‐to‐brittle transition at a critical domain size of polystyrene‐rich domains of about 50 nm and a maximum in the non‐essential work of fracture at 20–30% PS (co‐continuous morphology) have been found.

Non‐essential work of fracture as a function of the mean thickness of polystyrene‐rich domains, demonstrating a tough‐to‐brittle transition at a critical domain thickness about 50 nm. AFM micrograph of a star block copolymer/PS‐blend containing 40% PS.

imageNon‐essential work of fracture as a function of the mean thickness of polystyrene‐rich domains, demonstrating a tough‐to‐brittle transition at a critical domain thickness about 50 nm. AFM micrograph of a star block copolymer/PS‐blend containing 40% PS.