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Linear rheology and structure of molecular bottlebrushes with short side chains

Journal Article · · Journal of Rheology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1122/1.4918977· OSTI ID:22413358
;  [1];  [2]
  1. ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Baytown, Texas 77520 (United States)
  2. ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, New Jersey 08801 (United States)
We investigate the microstructure and linear viscoelasticity of model molecular bottlebrushes (BBs) using rheological and small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering measurements. Our polymers have short atactic polypropylene (aPP) side chains of molecular weight ranging from 119 g/mol to 259 g/mol and narrow molecular weight distribution (M{sub w}/M{sub n} 1.02–1.05). The side chain molecular weights are a small fraction of the entanglement molecular weight of the corresponding linear polymer (M{sub e,aPP}= 7.05 kg/mol), and as such, they are unentangled. The morphology of the aPP BBs is characterized as semiflexible thick chains with small side chain interdigitation. Their dynamic master curves, obtained by time-temperature superposition, reveal two sequential relaxation processes corresponding to the segmental relaxation and the relaxation of the BB backbone. Due to the short length of the side chains, their fast relaxation could not be distinguished from the glassy relaxation. The fractional free volume is an increasing function of the side chain length (N{sub SC}). Therefore, the glassy behavior of these polymers as well as their molecular friction and dynamic properties are influenced by their N{sub SC} values. The apparent flow activation energies are a decreasing function of N{sub SC}, and their values explain the differences in zero-shear viscosity measured at different temperatures.
OSTI ID:
22413358
Journal Information:
Journal of Rheology, Journal Name: Journal of Rheology Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 59; ISSN JORHD2; ISSN 0148-6055
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English