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Enhancing the transparency and tensile properties of immiscible poly(methyl methacrylate)/ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer blends by lithium salt addition

Polymer Journal, ISSN: 1349-0540, Vol: 56, Issue: 3, Page: 173-183
2024
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To improve the transparency and tensile properties of immiscible poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) blended films, lithium (trifluoromethane sulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) was added in small amounts. The addition of LiTFSI improved the transparencies of the PMMA/EVOH blends. However, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed that the blends with LiTFSI still maintained a sea-island morphology of the PMMA and EVOH phases with strong interfacial adhesion. A comparison of the SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) images revealed the localization of LiTFSI in the EVOH domains. By comparing the refractive index data for the EVOH/LiTFSI blends, we established that the refractive indexes of the EVOH phases at LiTFSI concentrations of 20 or 30 wt% matched that of pure PMMA, which accounted for the improvement in transparency. The localization of LiTFSI interrupted the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the OH groups in EVOH, resulting in a decrease in crystallinity. Consequently, the amorphous and flexible EVOH domains dispersed in the PMMA matrix prevented stress concentration during tensile deformation, improving the tensile properties.

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