An experimentally designed melt rheological characterization of starblock polymers

The melt rheological behavior of structurally defined starblock polymers was investigated using the experimental design technique of response surface methodology. A rotatable central composite design (ccd) was employed with linear 2⁵ factorial structure and with axial points to fit the pure quadratic terms. Regression analysis of rheological data from styrene-isoprene and t-butyl styrene-isoprene starblock polymers was used to generate four models whose terms have a p-value ≤ 0.1. The fitted models of viscosity and elasticity were a function of temperature, weight percent uncombined diblock, frequency, casting solvent, and annealing time. Changes in melt behavior were hypothesized to be dependent on mechanisms related to phase separation and/or architecture. The modeled behavior verified the proposed mechanisms enabling a generalization of the results to the melt behavior of block polymer systems. The guidelines for the applicability of the well known Cox-Mertz relation and WLF superposition technique, as well as the transition to the Forced High Elasticity State, are discussed in terms of melt connectivity and elasticity.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Chemical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1986

Author dc:creator

• Scott, James Marvin

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/90960

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/90960