The MN+1AXN phases: A new class of solids

PEEK Biomaterials in Trauma, Orthopedic, and Spinal Implants

Structural engineering of polyurethane coatings for high performance applications

The thermal stability of organically modified layered silicate (OLS) plays a key role in the synthesis and processing of polymer-layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites. The nonoxidative thermal degradation of montmorillonite and alkyl quaternary ammonium-modified montmorillonite were examined using conventional and high-resolution TGA combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (TG−FTIR−MS) and pyrolysis/GC−MS. The onset temperature of decomposition of these OLSs was approximately 155 °C via TGA and 180 °C via TGA−MS, where TGA−MS enables the differentiation of water desorbtion from true organic decomposition. Analysis of products (GC−MS) indicates that the initial degradation of the surfactant in the OLS follows a Hoffmann elimination reaction and that the architecture (trimethyl or dimethyl), chain length, surfactant mixture, exchanged ratio, or preconditioning (washing) does not alter the initial onset temperatures. Catalytic sites on the aluminosilicate layer reduce ther...

Thermal Degradation Chemistry of Alkyl Quaternary Ammonium Montmorillonite

Kinetic of crystallization from the melt and chain folding in polyethylene fractions revisited: theory and experiment

An improved permanganic etchant for polyolefines

On crystallization phenomena in PEEK

A permanganic etchant has been developed which reveals lamellar and other fine detail in surfaces of at least three crystalline polyolefines, viz., polyethylene (of both high and low density), isotactic polypropylene, and isotactic poly(4-methylpentene-1). In typical treatments of high-density polyethylene ca. 2 μm of material is removed with defective regions suffering preferential attack. The etchant also discriminates between lamellar orientations, eating deeper where side surfaces of laminae are exposed than on fold surfaces, and between different polymers, attacking isotactic polypropylene more strongly than polyethylene. Comparison with other techniques authenticates the detail exposed and samples appear to be otherwise unaltered by their treatment. Besides normal imaging, it is also possible to use etched samples for transmission diffraction studies in the electron microscope. The method has very considerable application for revealing lamellar details in crystalline polyolefines (which can be chosen to be representative or selective according to the nature of the surface used). Examples are given of a wide variety of melt-crystallized morphologies for the three polymers cited and also of lamellae in a drawn polyethylene sample. It is pointed out that permanganic etching is complementary to the technique of chlorosulfonation used to stain polyethylene in a similar way as bright field microscopy is to dark field.

A permanganic etchant for polyolefines

On the lamellar morphology of isotactic polypropylene spherulites

The production of solid section highly oriented polyethylene by compaction of melt-spun polyethylene fibres is described. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy have been used to determine the structure of the compacted polymer. The essential feature of the process is shown to be selective surface melting of the fibres to form a polyethylene/polyethylene composite of very high integrity, yet maintaining a very high proportion of the strength and stiffness of the fibres.

D. C. Bassett

Papers

An improved permanganic etchant for polyolefines

On crystallization phenomena in PEEK

A permanganic etchant for polyolefines

On the lamellar morphology of isotactic polypropylene spherulites

The hot compaction of high modulus melt-spun polyethylene fibres