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Host University: Georgia Tech
Progress:
Quarterly Report: April 1-June 30, 2009
We have synthesized and characterized partially deuterated PTHF network polymers for molecular weight, cross-link density, etc. Neutron scattering studies (SANS) were carried out using these samples such that scattering data was taken for various stress levels when these well characterized polymer network samples of different structures were subjected to extensional strains. Our objective is to understand the change in molecular morphology under extensional strains, as well as stress induced crystallization resulting from molecular orientation induced by applied strains. We are currently analyzing the data obtained from SANS and we are also synthesizing more samples for additional tests. These tests are carried out in National Labs (Argonne National Lab/NIST), and the analysis is expected to give us information on molecular mechanisms caused by extensional strains. Unimodal, bimodal and clustered PTHF networks were tested, and the dependence of molecular behavior as a function of initial molecular architecture is explored.
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