Stress-Induced Orientation of Cocontinuous Nanostructures within Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks

Zeng, Di; Ribbe, Alexander; Kim, Hyunki; Hayward, Ryan C.

doi:10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00453

Title: Stress-Induced Orientation of Cocontinuous Nanostructures within Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks

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Abstract

Randomly end-linked copolymer networks (RECNs) provide a robust route to self-assembled cocontinuous nanostructures. Here, we study the orientation of cocontinuous polystyrene/poly(D,L-lactide) (PS/PLA) RECNs induced by uniaxial stretching above the glass transition temperatures of the components. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveals that the domains initially undergo nonaffine stretching at low strain (ε < 0.4), followed by domain rotation at larger strains, yielding a “soft elastic” response and providing a high degree of orientation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tomography confirms that stretching leads to topological changes in the nanostructure, corresponding to reorganization of domain interfaces. The combination of orientation at the molecular and nanostructural levels provides substantial improvements in yield strength, toughness, and stiffness. In addition to possibilities for improving mechanical properties, cocontinuous nanostructures with controlled levels of orientation have potential in a variety of contexts including directional ion transport and energy absorption.

Authors:

Zeng, Di ^[1]; Ribbe, Alexander ^[1]; Kim, Hyunki ^[1];

^[1]

Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:: Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

OSTI Identifier:: 1599588

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0016208

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: ACS Macro Letters

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2161-1653

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats


                    Zeng, Di, Ribbe, Alexander, Kim, Hyunki, and Hayward, Ryan C. Stress-Induced Orientation of Cocontinuous Nanostructures within Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks.  United States: N. p., 2018. 
Web.  doi:10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00453.

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                    Zeng, Di, Ribbe, Alexander, Kim, Hyunki, & Hayward, Ryan C. Stress-Induced Orientation of Cocontinuous Nanostructures within Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00453

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                    Zeng, Di, Ribbe, Alexander, Kim, Hyunki, and Hayward, Ryan C. Mon .  
"Stress-Induced Orientation of Cocontinuous Nanostructures within Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00453.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1599588.

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@article{osti_1599588,

  title        = {Stress-Induced Orientation of Cocontinuous Nanostructures within Randomly End-Linked Copolymer Networks},

  author       = {Zeng, Di and Ribbe, Alexander and Kim, Hyunki and Hayward, Ryan C.},

  abstractNote = {Randomly end-linked copolymer networks (RECNs) provide a robust route to self-assembled cocontinuous nanostructures. Here, we study the orientation of cocontinuous polystyrene/poly(D,L-lactide) (PS/PLA) RECNs induced by uniaxial stretching above the glass transition temperatures of the components. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveals that the domains initially undergo nonaffine stretching at low strain (ε < 0.4), followed by domain rotation at larger strains, yielding a “soft elastic” response and providing a high degree of orientation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tomography confirms that stretching leads to topological changes in the nanostructure, corresponding to reorganization of domain interfaces. The combination of orientation at the molecular and nanostructural levels provides substantial improvements in yield strength, toughness, and stiffness. In addition to possibilities for improving mechanical properties, cocontinuous nanostructures with controlled levels of orientation have potential in a variety of contexts including directional ion transport and energy absorption.},

  doi          = {10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00453},

  journal      = {ACS Macro Letters},

  number       = 7,

  volume       = 7,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2018},

  month        = {Mon Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2018}

}

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