ABSTRACT
I. Introduction ................................................................. 630 II. Microlayer Coextrusion Technology ........................... 631 III. Microlayered Polymers................................................ 634
A. Mechanical Properties and Irreversible Deformation Mechanisms ................................ 636 1. PC/SAN Microlayers........................... 636 2. Comparison between PC/SAN and
PC/PMMA Systems............................. 640
B. Microlayers as Model Systems to Study Adhesion ................................................. 644 1. Delamination Toughness and
Mechanism in PC/SAN Microlayers .......................................... 645
2. Effect of Compatibilizer on Adhesion of Polypropylene (PP) and Polyamide (PA) ...................................................... 647
3. Evaluating Ethylene-Styrene Copolymers as Compatibilizers for Polyethylene and Polystyrene Blends .................................................. 648
4. Effect of Chain Microstructure on Adhesion of Polyethylene to Polypropylene.................................. 649
C. Foam/Film Microlayers — A Novel Way of Controlling Foam Cell Structure..................... 650
IV. Nanolayered Polymers ................................................ 656 A. Morphology, Deformation Behavior
and Microhardness of PC/PET Nanolayered Polymers............................................................ 656 1. Morphology and Deformation
Behavior............................................... 656 2. Microhardness..................................... 659
B. Tunable Optical Properties of an Elastomer/Elastomer Nanolayered System ............................................................... 662
C. Physical Properties of Interphase Materials ........................................................... 664
D. Novel Structures Produced by Confined Crystallization in Nanolayers.......................... 670
References............................................................................. 678
I. INTRODUCTION
As the field of polymer science evolves, the polymeric systems developed are becoming increasingly more complex. However, the level of structural complexity is still less than that of
naturally occurring systems. In understanding complex systems, the importance of treating the system on the molecular, nano, micro and macro scales has been proposed [1]. The structure-property relationships are best understood when the hierarchical nature of the system is taken into account. In the study of biocomposites, such as soft connective tissues, “three rules of complex assemblies” have been suggested [2-4]. First, the structure is organized in discrete levels or scales. Nearly all biocomposite systems are found to have at least one distinct structural level at each of the molecular, nanoscopic, microscopic, and macroscopic scales. Second, the levels of structural organization are held together by specific interactions between components. Whatever the nature of the bonding between levels, adequate adhesion is required for system structural integrity. Third, these highly interacting levels are organized into a hierarchical composite system that is designed to meet a complex spectrum of functional requirements. It is interesting to note that as synthetic materials become more complex and multifunctional, they start to display similar hierarchical features [4].
