Characterization suite for advanced analysis of dynamic polymer networks
Abstract
Polymer waste comprises a major societal problem, and making materials which are easier to recycle while retaining robust properties is a challenge. Dynamic covalent bonds can be imparted in plastics to make them easier to reprocess, however this impacts the key attributes of the material such as stiffness, long term dimensional stability, and crystallinity. Understanding how the molecular aspects of polymer networks give rise to their macroscopic properties requires synergistic analytical methods to accurately determine polymer molecular weight, transition temperatures such as melting or glass formation, mechanical properties, and degradation temperatures to elucidate fundamental structure-property-performance relationships and understand the appropriate working conditions of the material. Dynamic covalent bonds also allow for exquisite design of soft materials and can impart additional functionality in terms of energy damping and self-healing. A size-exclusion chromatography setup will analyze molecular weights including for different architectures of polymer strands. Differential scanning calorimetry will detect thermal transitions in polymers, and will be interfaced with an optical microscope attachment to correlate with changes in the microstructure of the polymers, such as crystallinity, with temperature. Dynamic mechanical analysis will provide modulus, damping spectra, and stress-strain curves to understand how the molecular architecture of networks affects their bulk properties. A humidity chamber addon will enable simulating both model and real-world conditions. Finally, a thermogravimetric analyzer will probe degradation temperatures, and a mass spectrometer will identify of degradation products to understand mechanisms. This proposed quartet of instruments are necessary to advance the pace of discovery in dynamic networks research at the University of Illinois.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 05, 2025
- Source ID
- FA95502410021
Entities
People
- Christopher M Evans
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign