Curing Kinetics Modeling of Epoxy Modified by Fully Vulcanized Elastomer Nanoparticles Using Rheometry Method

In this study, the curing kinetics of epoxy nanocomposites containing ultra-fine full-vulcanized acrylonitrile butadiene rubber nanoparticles (UFNBRP) at different concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt.% was investigated. In addition, the effect of curing temperatures was studied based on the rheological method under isothermal conditions. The epoxy resin/UFNBRP nanocomposites were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR analysis exhibited the successful preparation of epoxy resin/UFNBRP, due to the existence of the UFNBRP characteristic peaks in the final product spectrum. The morphological structure of the epoxy resin/UFNBRP nanocomposites was investigated by both field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. The FESEM and TEM studies showed UFNBRP had a spherical structure and was well dispersed in epoxy resin. The chemorheological analysis showed that due to the interactions between UFNBRP and epoxy resin, by increasing UFNBRP concentration at a constant temperature (65, 70 and 75 °C), the curing rate decreases at the gel point. Furthermore, both the curing kinetics modeling and chemorheological analysis demonstrated that the incorporation of 0.5% UFNBRP in epoxy resin matrix reduces the activation energy. The curing kinetic of epoxy resin/UFNBRP nanocomposite was best fitted with the Sestak–Berggren autocatalytic model.

Semiconductor-Insulator (Nano-)Couples with Tunable Properties Obtained from Asymmetric Modification of Janus Nanoparticles

Coupling a semiconductor with an electrical insulator in a single amphiphilic nanoparticle could open new pathways for manufacturing and assembling organic electronic devices. Here, a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/polyaniline (PEDOT/PANI) bilayer is confined on the surface of one lobe of snowman-type Janus nanoparticles (JNPs), such that one lobe is semiconducting and the other is electrically insulating. The PEDOT/PANI bilayer is constructed in two synthesis steps, by asymmetric modification of the JNPs with PANI followed by PEDOT. The addition of the PEDOT layer onto the PANI-modified JNPs leads to an enhancement in the conductivity of up to 2 orders of magnitude. Further, we demonstrate that JNPs are very versatile supports for semiconducting polymers because by tuning their size and geometry the overall conductivity of the JNP powders can be modulated within several orders of magnitude.

Intrinsically Conductive Polymer Fibers from Thermoplastic trans-1,4-Polyisoprene

Herein, we report a new strategy to prepare conductive polymer fibers to overcome the insurmountable weakness of current conductive polymer fibers. First, special thermoplastic polymers are processed into polymer fibers using a conventional melt-spinning process, and then the nonconductive polymer fibers are converted into intrinsically conductive polymer fibers. Using this new strategy, intrinsically conductive polymer fibers have been prepared by melt spinning low-cost thermoplastic trans-1,4-polyisoprene and doping with iodine, which can be as fine as 0.01 mm, and the resistivity can be as low as 10(-2) Ω m. Moreover, it has been found that drawing can improve the orientation of trans-1,4-polyisoprene crystals in the fibers and, thus, the conductivity of the conductive polymer fibers. Therefore, conductive fibers with excellent conductivities can be prepared by large drawing ratios before doping. Such conductive polymer fibers with low cost could be used in textile, clothing, packing, and other fields, which would benefit both industry and daily life. The newly developed method also allows one to produce conductive polymers of any shape besides fibers for antistatic or conductive applications.