Project Details
Projekt
Solid mechanics of polymeric thermoplastic elastomers model systems optimized by the use of complex anionically synthesized topologies
Applicant
Professor Dr. Valerian Hirschberg
Subject Area
Polymer Materials
Term
since 2023
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 529315409
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) combine the mechanical properties of elastomers with the processability of thermoplastics, by replacing chemical with physical crosslinking with local phase separation of block copolymers. In contrast to covalently crosslinked rubbers, this offers the favorable possibility of physical or mechanical recycling by dissolving or remoulding, underlining the high potential of TPEs as a sustainable rubber replacement and allows new applications, e.g. in 3D printing. Classic TPEs are triblock copolymers of Styrene (S)/Butadiene (B) or S/Isoprene (I) as SBS or SIS, e.g., as commercial product named Kraton®. Block copolymers of the monomers A and B phase separate due to repulsive forces between the different monomers, characterized with the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter χ. Depending on the volume fraction of both blocks A and B, ϕA,B, a lamellar, cylindrical, gyroid or spherical morphology is formed. For TPEs, a soft matrix (glass transition temperature, Tg,soft
DFG Programme
Research Grants
