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Competition between crystallization and coalescence during the film formation of poly(chloroprene) latex and effects on mechanical properties

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journal contribution
posted on 2019-07-15, 08:16 authored by Philip G. Richardson, Ignacio Martin-Fabiani, Patrick Shaw, Eman Alsaffar, Emilie Velasquez, Paul Gardner, Peter Shaw, James M. Adams, Joseph L. Keddie
Poly(chloroprene) is a synthetic crystallizable polymer used in several applications, including rubber gloves. The film formation of poly(chloroprene) latex offers opportunities to define structures at length scales between the molecular and macroscopic, thereby adjusting the elastomer’s mechanical properties. However, the connections between processing and the resultant film properties are not fully understood. Here, we investigate the competition between the coalescence of latex particles to build cohesive strength and their crystallization to raise the elastic modulus. We demonstrate that when coalescence precedes crystallization, the elastomer has greater extensibility and a higher tensile strength compared to when crystallization occurs during coalescence. The mechanical properties of poly(chloroprene) were tuned by blending two colloids with differing gel contents and crystallizabilities. Heating above poly(chloroprene)’s melting temperature allows increased particle interdiffusion and builds cohesion, prior to recrystallization. We provide evidence from in situ wide-angle X-ray scattering for the strain-induced crystallization of as-cast films from particle blends.

Funding

Synthomer (UK) Ltd.

History

School

  • Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering

Department

  • Materials

Published in

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research

Volume

58

Issue

46

Pages

21031 - 21043

Citation

RICHARDSON, P.G. ... et al, 2019. Competition between crystallization and coalescence during the film formation of poly(chloroprene) latex and effects on mechanical properties. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 58 (46), pp.21031-21043.

Publisher

© American Chemical Society (ACS)

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publisher statement

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.iecr.9b02279.

Acceptance date

2019-07-08

Publication date

2019-07-08

Copyright date

2019

ISSN

0888-5885

eISSN

1520-5045

Language

  • en

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