Status : Public - Last Update : December 2004

---

Laboratory of Macromolecular Structural Chemistry

Faculty of sciences-Department of Chemistry-Division of Polymer Chemistry

Polymer Blend Research Group - Prof. dr. G. Groeninckx

Research Areas

• Structure Formation in Immiscible Multiphase Polymer Blend Systems
• Reactive compatibilisation of thermoplastic / thermoplastic blends during melt-extrusion using reactive compatibilisers
• Dynamic crosslinking of rubber / thermoplastic blends with high rubber content (TPV's)
• Rubber modification of semicrystalline thermoplastics for toughening using reactive extrusion
• Structure Formation in Miscible and Partially Miscible Polymer Blend Systems
• Structure formation in miscible thermoplastic / thermoplastic blends via phase separation in the melt and / or crystallisation
• Structure formation in thermosetting resin / thermoplastic blends during curing and crystallisation
• Nanostructured Polymeric Materials: Polymer Nanocomposites

Reactive Compatibilisation of thermoplastic / thermoplastic blends during melt-extrusion using reactive compatibilisers

Topics:

• Phase morphology development during melt mixing due to in-situ graft copolymer formation at the interface between the phases
• Phase morphology stabilisation: stability of the in-situ interfacially formed graft copolymer
• Interfacial melt reactions and molecular characterisation of the interfacially formed graft copolymer
• Morphological characterisation of the interphase in reactive bilayer specimens (ellipsometry, NR)
• Effect of reactive compatibilisation on the crystallisation behaviour and semicrystalline structure of the crystallisable phase(s)
• Effect of reactive compatibilisation on the rheological behaviour

Dynamic Crosslinking of Rubber / Thermoplastic Blends with High Rubber Content (TPV's)

Topics:

• Dynamic crosslinking and phase morphology of PA6/EPDM-g-MA blends with 50-60 wt % rubber => TPV's
• Deformation and strain recovery behaviour by means of real-time IR and AFM measurements

Rubber Modification of Semicrystalline Thermoplastics for Toughening using Reactive Extrusion (< 30  wt % rubber)

Topics:

• Reactive compatibilisation of thermoplastic / rubber blends and control of the particle size of the dispersed rubber phase
• Deformation mechanisms (crazing, shear yielding, rubber cavitation)
• Tensile and impact properties

Blend Systems:

• Blend of PET with EPR / EPR-g-GMA 1.5
• Blends of PET with EPR / E-GMA8

Structure Formation in Miscible Thermoplastic / Thermoplastic Blends via Demixing in the Melt and / or Crystallisation => variety of morphologies at micro- and nanoscale

Possibilities based on the phase diagram:

• Initially miscible melt followed by crystallisation
• Partially demixed melt followed by crystallisation
• Simultaneous demixing and crystallization

Topics:

• Demixing in the melt: kinetics and mechanisms, phase morphology, phase compositons
• Crystallisation: kinetics, segregation, semicrystalline structure

Relation:

• Miscibility - phase separation / phase morphology - crystallisation / semicrystalline structure - thermal properties

Structure Formation in Thermosetting Resin / Thermoplastic Polymer Blends during Curing and Crystallisation

Topics:

• Curing reaction kinetics of the thermosetting resin in the blends
• Phase separation, gelation and vitrification in the blends during curing
• Phase morphology after curing
• Crystallisation and semicrystalline structure of the thermoplastic polymer in the cured blends

Relation: Curing - phase behaviour / phase morphology - crystallisation / semicrystalline structure - properties

Nanostructured Polymeric Materials: Polymer Nanocomposites

Aim:

• Development of nanocomposites based on thermoplastic polymers and layered minerals by means of melt-extrusion

Components:

• Layered silicate: Montmorillonite (MMT)
• Polar thermoplastics: POM, PEO, PCL, PMMA, PVDF; biopolymers
• Cationic surfactant: long chain alkyl ammonium cations

Topics:

• Surface treatment of silicate with surfactant: organophilic MMT
• Preparation of thermoplastic / modified silicate nanocomposites using melt-extrusion
• Characterisation of the nanomorphology: intercalation and / or delamination
• Rheological behaviour of the nanocomposites
• Mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms
• Barrier properties

Prices

• 2004: Julen Ibarretxe Uriguen won the Karl Klasan Best Student Presentation award at the Polychar World Forum on Advanced Materials
  

http://www.chem.kuleuven.ac.be/index_nl.html