Ethan Ertel

Home Institution: University of Connecticut - Storrs

Major/Minor: Chemical Engineering

Anticipated Graduation: 05/2004

MRSEC Faculty – Frank Bates

Mechanical Testing of Shear Aligned PC/ PEE /PE Block Copolymer in the O⁵² Morphology

This research investigates the mechanical properties of a PC-PE_E-PE block copolymer that microphase separates into the O⁵² network morphology. Copolymers are known to combine the mechanical properties of their homopolymers in a number of different ways. We combine glassy PC, semi-crystalline PE and PE_E rubbery blocks. Anionic synthesis and subsequent hydrogenation produced PC-PE_E-PE with composition of 0.25-0.5-0.25, respectively, as confirmed by light scattering and NMR. Dynamic mechanical analysis determined order-order and order-disorder transition temperatures. Samples were formed by hot pressing. These samples were shear-aligned under varying shear conditions, resulting in long-range order. Small angle x-ray scattering confirmed sample crystal structure and alignment. Tensile bars were cut and tested for each axis of the crystal unit cell.