ABSTRACT
In the field of soft robotics, current materials face challenges related to their load capacity, durability, and sustainability. Innovative solutions are required to address these problems beyond conventional strategies, which often lack long-term ecological viability. This study aims to overcome these limitations using mechanically robust, self-healing, and recyclable ionic elastomers based on carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR). The designed materials exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including tensile strengths (TS) exceeding 19 MPa and remarkable deformability, with maximum elongations (EB) over 650%. Moreover, these materials showed high self-healing capabilities, with 100% recovery efficiency of TS and EB at 110 °C after 3 to 5 h, and full recyclability, preserving their mechanical performance even after three recycling cycles. Furthermore, they were also moldable and readily scalable. Tendon-driven soft robotic grippers were successfully developed out of ionic elastomers, illustrating the potential of self-healing and recyclability in the field of soft robotics to reduce maintenance costs, increase material durability, and improve sustainability.
ABSTRACT
Over the past decades, the development of high performance lightweight polymer nanocomposites and, in particular, of epoxy nanocomposites has become one the greatest challenges in material science. The ultimate goal of epoxy nanocomposites is to extrapolate the exceptional intrinsic properties of the nanoparticles to the bulk matrix. However, in spite of the efforts, this objective is still to be attained at commercially attractive scales. Key aspects to achieve this are ultimately the full understanding of network structure, the dispersion degree of the nanoparticles, the interfacial adhesion at the phase boundaries and the control of the localization and orientation of the nanoparticles in the epoxy system. In this Personal Account, we critically discuss the state of the art and evaluate the strategies to overcome these barriers.
ABSTRACT
Novel millable polyurethane (PU)/organoclay nanocomposites have been successfully prepared by conventional transformation techniques. One natural (C6A) and two organically modified (C15A and C30B) montmorillonites have been used as clays for preparing PU nanocomposites. The optimum dispersion of nanofiller at a nanometer scale in PU matrix was confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopy. A substantial improvement of the PU properties by addition of only a small amount of organoclay was observed. It is worthy to note that the organoclays show a different interfacial interaction with the PU matrix, which was reflected in different macroscopic properties. Thus, C30B organoclay seems to react with PU chains to form covalent bonds, while C15A only interacts physically with PU chains. Mechanical and barrier properties are analyzed.
Subject(s)
Aluminum Silicates/chemistry , Nanocomposites/chemistry , Nanotechnology/methods , Organic Chemicals/chemistry , Polyurethanes/chemistry , Clay , Elasticity , Hardness , Hardness Tests , Materials Testing , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Nanocomposites/ultrastructure , Permeability , Rheology/methods , Stress, Mechanical , Surface Properties , Temperature , Tensile Strength , Viscosity , X-Ray DiffractionABSTRACT
The effect of different nanofillers and compatibilizers (maleic anhydride-grafted-polypropylene and maleic anhydride-grafted-ethylene propylene diene terpolymer rubber) on the morphology, mechanical, mechanodynamical and thermal characteristics of thermoplastic olefins based on polypropylene and ethylene propylene diene terpolymer rubber blends has been analysed. A better affinity with the matrix and a better dispersion of the nanoparticles is observed in rubber rich matrices. Organoclay, such as Cloisite C15A and Cloisite C20A, treated with a non-polar surfactant give rise to intercalated nanocomposites, and the lower the concentration of surfactant (C20A) the most noticeable increase in interlayer spacing and consequently better properties in the nanocomposites. The maleic anhydride-grafted-ethylene propylene diene terpolymer rubber is a better compatibilizer for organo-clay nanocomposites based on rubber rich matrices.
ABSTRACT
The mechanism of the reaction between a silica sample coming from acid treatment of sepiolite (denominated Silsep) and an organosilane, namely bis(triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulfane (TESPT), has been evaluated by solid state NMR spectroscopy, being compared with the silanization reaction of a commercial silica. The effect of the silane concentration and temperature on the course of the reaction was considered. Experimental results indicate that the silanization reaction is more effective in the case of Silsep, favoring both the reaction of silane molecules with the filler surface and the reaction between neighboring silane molecules. This different behavior is attributed to structural factors, moisture, and number of acid centers on silica surface. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) was used to deposit micrometric water drops on the surface of these samples and to evaluate the proportion and distribution of the organophylization process.
