Rheological characterization of polymer blends and polymer clay nanocomposites: study of the correlation rheological properties /micro-structure

• Grant number: 06/02634-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2006
• End date: October 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Nicole Raymonde Demarquette
• Grantee: Nicole Raymonde Demarquette
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Principal investigators: Amilton Martins dos Santos ; Antonio Carlos Vieira Coelho ; Francisco Rolando Valenzuela Diaz ; Pérsio de Souza Santos
• Associated researchers: Adriana Martinelli Catelli de Souza ; Ana Maria Arteaga ; Caio Parra Dantas Coelho ; Cássia Alves de Freitas ; Clarice Terui Kunioshi ; Danilo Justino Carastan ; Douglas Morais ; Fátima Cristina Torres de Souza ; Gleisa Pitareli ; Guilhermino José Macêdo Fechine ; Guillermo Palmer Martín ; Kleberson Ricardo de Oliveira Pereira ; Márcio Yee ; Maria Lucia Caetano Pinto da Silva ; Patrícia Schmid Calvão ; Pedro Carlos de Oliveira ; Rafael Caetano Jardim Pinto da Silva ; Raul Pacheco de Moraes ; Ricardo Yoshimitsu Miyahara ; Roberta Kalil Sadi ; Ticiane Sanches Valera
• Associated scholarship(s): 10/00301-2 - Synthesis and characterization of thermo- and pH-sensitive magnetic polymeric nanoparticles via precipitation polymerization, BP.IC; 10/00485-6 - Synthesis and characterization of hybrid latexes of poly(styrene-co-n-butyl acrylate)/Laponite RD, BP.IC; 08/05484-8 - Rheological behavior of reinforced polymer blends by nanoclays, BP.PD; + associated scholarships 08/04123-1 - Environmentally friendly PP/PHB blends, BP.DD; 08/01336-4 - Improvement of melt strength of polypropylene by the addition of nanoclays, BP.MS; 08/01886-4 - Study of processing and microstructural guidance in nanocomposites in block copolymers, BP.MS; 07/07379-4 - Preparation and characterization of smectitic clay / styrenic compound nanocomposites, BP.PD - associated scholarships

Abstract

The main objective of this project is the study of the rheological properties of composites materiais, either polymer blends or polymer clay nanocomposites aiming at a) developing tools that could be used to infer information about the morphology and microstructure of these materiais (studying the rheological behavior of these materiais in the linear viscoelastic regime) b) generate information for the processing of these materiais (studying the rheological behavior of these materiais in the non linear viscoelastic regime) The project consists of the following steps: A) Rheological study of polymer blend a) Experimental study of the rheological behavior of compatibilized or non compatibilized blend in the linear viscoelastic regime. b) Experimental study of the rheological behavior of compatibilized or non compatibilized blend in the non linear viscoelastic regime c) Evaluation and improvement of constitutive equations to predict the rheological behavior of polymer blends, d) Study of evolution of morphology of blends under controlled flow and during processing. e) Evaluation of rheological properties of blends of high values (blends with biodegradable polymers for example) B) Rheological study of Polymer Clay Nanocomposites (PCN) In the case of PCN, it will be first necessary to work on the obtention of these materiais, the steps are therefore: f) Study and modification of Brazilian and Américan Clays. g) Obtention and characterization of nanocomposites by synthesis in situ, by melt incorporation h) Rheological characterization of the clay suspensions (these clay suspensions are necessary to modify the clay to be used in the obtention of nanocomposites) i) Rheological characterization in the linear viscoelastic regime of the nanocomposites aiming at developing tools to characterize the microstructure of nanocomposites using rheology. j) Rheological characterization in the non linear viscoelastic regime of the nanocomposites aiming at generating information about the processing of these materiais. k) Characterization of the engineering properties of the materials obtained; This project should bring scientific knowledge in the field of rheology (which is still not fully developed in Brazil although highly needed as stressed by different petrochemical companies) and enable the formation of highly specialized researchers in the field. This project could enable the obtention of strategic materiais and enable exchange programs with researchers from outside Brazil. (AU)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project