Polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) were synthesized using trans-1,4-bis(isocyanatomethyl) cyclohexane (1,4-H₆XDI), poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol, 1,4-butanediol (BD), and 1,1,1-trimethylol propane (TMP). To control the molecular aggregation state and mechanical properties of these PUEs, hard segment contents of 20 and 30 wt% and BD/TMP ratios of 10/0 and 8/2 were chosen. Differential scanning calorimetry and small-angle X-ray scattering measurements revealed that the degree of microphase separation increased with an increase in both hard segment content and BD ratio. The Young's modulus and strain at break of the 1,4-H₆XDI-based PUE were 6-20 MPa and 5-15, respectively. Incorporation of 20% TMP as a cross-linking agent into BD increased the melting temperature of the hard segment chains, that is, heat resistance, and decreased the Young's modulus. This could be due to the low density of the physical cross-linking network and the dispersion of hard segment chains in the soft segment matrix in the PUE in the presence of 20% TMP.

Bio-based polyester polyols were synthesized using esterification with azelaic acid, sebacic acid, and 1,3-propanediol. Polyurethanes were prepared using chain extenders (1,4-Butanediol, 1,3-Propanediol, and isosorbide) and 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate with a mixing ratio of 1:1:1.1. Subsequently, the properties of the polymers prepared using the different chain extenders were compared. The synthesis of polyurethane was confirmed by FT-IR, TGA, and GPC. The mechanical properties (hardness, ball rebound, and tensile strength) of the materials were analyzed using shore A tester, taber abrasion, and UTM. heat, chemical, and water resistances of the prepared materials were measured by comparing the tensile strengths according to external changes.

In this study, flexible poly(ethylene-ter-1-hexene-ter-divinylbenzene) was prepared using four types of metallocene catalysts (rac-Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂, rac-SiMe₂(Ind)₂ZrCl₂, rac-SiMe₂(2-Me-Ind)₂ZrCl₂, (C₅Me₅)TiCl₂[O-2,6-ⁱPr₂(C₆H₃)]) and two types of borate catalysts (trityl tetrakisborate and dimethylanilinium tetrakisborate). The yield, catalytic activity, molecular weight, structure, composition, and thermal properties of the terpolymers prepared using the various catalysts and cocatalyst systems were evaluated. Epoxidation of the terpolymers was successfully performed and this transformation was studied by ¹H NMR and FTIR.

A three-layered PVC sheet consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and woven polyester fabric was prepared by extrusion and calendering. The flexibility and durability of the PVC were tuned by adding plasticizers, additives, and surface coatings. The tensile and tear strengths of the three-layered PVC sheet were higher than those of commercial two-layered sheet, while exhibiting low weight. The concentrations of the total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) emitted from the sheet were also lowered. The PVC sheet remained stable after prolonged exposure to UV light, signifying that the PVC sheet is suitable for cargo screen applications.

Rubber friction properties include adhesion friction characteristics of the interface, hysteresis friction characteristics originating from repeated rubber deformations, and cohesion friction characteristics due to wear and tear. Cohesion friction is generally sufficiently small (< 3%) that it can be ignored, whereas adhesion friction has a relatively large contribution of 15%, but has not been investigated thoroughly. Therefore, through an adhesion friction study, the adhesion mechanism was examined and the relationship between friction characteristics and adhesion friction on dry surfaces was derived. The wet grip characteristics of tread rubber are fully described by the hysteresis characteristics of tires, but friction characteristics on dry roads are difficult to determine without adhesion factors. The results presented herein demonstrate that the combination of hysteresis and adhesion properties in the tread rubber sufficiently explained the characteristics of the dry grip. Based on the results of this study, technologies will be developed to determine the key factors governing adhesion friction characteristics and improve dry tire braking performance.

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is a well-known super engineering plastic with a high melting temperature (above 290℃). It is generally insoluble under regular conditions. Therefore, it can be used for replacing metallic materials. Many researchers are looking at the possibility of replacing aluminum in the engine compartment of an automobile. However, studies on PPS are not common as compared to conventional engineering plastics because only a few companies produce super engineering plastics. In this research, the material properties of PPS composites containing two different kinds of glass fibers and produced under different processing temperatures were investigated. The tensile strength of the PPS composites increased as the processing temperature increased. Although glass fibers with similar aspect ratios were compounded under the same processing condition, one of them yielded a higher mechanical strength.

A typical wear pattern was reported to resemble the fatigue crack growth behavior considering its mechanism, especially for amorphous rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). In this study, the wear and crack growth rates were correlated using two separate experiments for carbon black and silica-reinforced selected rubber compounds. The wear rate was determined using a blade-type abrasion tester, where the frictional energy input during wearing was measured. The crack propagation rate was determined under different tearing energy inputs using a home-made fatigue tester, with a pure-shear test specimen containing pre-cracks. The rates of abrasion and crack propagation were plotted on a log-log scale as a function of frictional and tearing energies, respectively. Reasonable agreement was observed, indicating that the major mechanism of the abrasion pattern involved repeated crack propagation.

A series of poly(hyroxyamide)s (PHAs) was prepared by direct polycondensation reaction of 4,4'-(2,3-pyridinedioxy)dibenzoic acid and/or isophthalic acid with 3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine. The yield percentages of the products were high, and the inherent viscosities of the polymer in DMAc solution at 35℃ were 0.31-0.59 dL/g. All PHA polymers were found to be soluble in polar aprotic solvents such as DMAc, DMSO, NMP, and DMF. On the other hand, LiCl was required to dissolve IPHA-1 in aprotic solvents. Poly(benzoxazole)s (PBOs) were partially soluble in conc-H₂SO₄; IPBO-4, -5, and -6 were partially soluble in NMP only when LiCl was added to the solution, and the solution was heated. The PBO polymers showed a maximum weight loss in the temperature range of 654-680℃, and the char yields at 900℃ under nitrogen atmosphere exceeded 63%.

Cryogenic crushing techniques have been employed for recycling waste rubber articles and for extracting residual organic additives present in rubber samples. Rubber particulate derived from tire tread abrasion is one of the key components of road dust. Therefore, in this work, we prepared rubber particulates using a cryogenic crusher and characterized their shapes as well as size distributions according to the type of rubber. The rubber particulates exhibited uneven surfaces with the presence of some small pieces. The order of the particle size distribution was observed to be: NR > BR > SBR. Subsequently, carbon black was added; this led to a decrease in the particle size and the shape becoming rougher. The crushed particulates of the carbon black-filled samples comprised agglomerated shapes of small pieces, which were similar in shape to that of wear debris in tire tread. It was discovered that crosslink density was one of the principal factors that led to the formation of small crushed particulates. The small particulates obtained by cryogenic crushing can be utilized as model rubber particulates for researching micro dust.

In this work, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) were used to modify asphalt, resulting in SBR- and SBS-modified asphalt, respectively. The two modified asphalts were emulsified with a nonionic emulsifier (Span 60) and cationic emulsifiers (ID, DDA) and their phase stabilization was investigated via particle size, Zeta potential, and flow behavior analysis. With increasing amount of the mixed emulsifier, the particle size decreased, leading to an increase in viscosity. The shear thinning behaviors and Zeta potential values ranging from 35-65 mV were determined and remained considerably stable. In addition, the adhesion strength and compression strength of the SBR-and SBS-modified asphalt emulsion were evaluated via surface free energy examination. The remarkable adhesion and compression strengths were estimated when 5 phr ID and 6 phr DDA were added to the emulsified asphalt modified with SBR and SBS. Therefore ID and DDA, the two cationic surfactants, played significant roles in improving the dispersion and interfacial adhesion strength, resulting in the improved adhesion and compression strength of the emulsified asphalts modified with SBR and SBS.

In this study, aliphatic polyketone (PK)/chopped carbon fiber (CCF) composites with various CCF contents were prepared using a modular intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder, and their mechanical and thermal properties such as tensile, flexural, and impact strength and thermal conductivity were investigated. The amount of CCF was increased from 0 to 50 wt%. The tensile and flexural strength of the PK/CCF composites increased as the CCF content increased, but the elongation at break and impact strength was lower than that of pure PK. Thermal properties such as heat distortion temperature and thermal conductivity increased as the CCF content increased. Morphological observations revealed that fiber orientation and interface adhesion between the PK and the CCF in the PK/CCF composites were formed due to the twin screw extrusion, which contributed to improving the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites.

To evaluate the aging of a rubber pad in power window switch which is the part of a vehicle, the accelerated thermal aging test of rubber pad material is performed. Finite element analysis was performed using the nonlinear material constants of the rubber pad to calculate the operating force, and the Arrhenius relationship was derived from the aging temperature and time. The aging test was performed at 150, 180, 210, or 240 ℃ for 1 to 60 days. When the operating force of the rubber pad is changed by 10% from the initial value, the service life is expected to be 113 years, which is much longer than the life of the vehicle. This indicates that the aging life of the rubber pad is sufficiently safe and the operating force of the rubber pad during the life of the vehicle (20 years) was decreased by approximately 8.4%. By examining the correlation between the shear elastic modulus and operating force calculated from finite element analysis under each aging test condition, the changes in the operating force of the rubber pad and the shear elastic modulus showed good linear relationship. The aging life could be predicted by the change in shear elastic modulus and a process for predicting the aging life of automotive power window switch rubber pad parts is described herein.

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogels modified with various co-monomers, such as N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), and glycerol monomethacrylate (GMMA), were prepared to investigate the effect of adding a co-monomer on the water contents, surface wettability, and tensile modulus. These polymers were synthesized by thermal- and photo-polymerization in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phosphineoxide (TPO) as the initiators. The characteristics of the hydrogels were analyzed via FTIR and UV/Vis spectroscopies, contact angle measurements, and tensile modulus measurements with UTM. Regarding the properties of water in the hydrogels, the ratio between free to bound water was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effects of adding the co-monomers on the water content, surface wettability, and tensile modulus for soft contact lenses were also investigated. In the case of p(HEMA-co-NVP) hydrogels, the increase in the equilibrium water content (EWC) was primarily due to the increase in the bound water content. For p(HEMA-co-GMMA) hydrogels, an increase in free water content was the main reason for the increased EWC. In contrast, in the case of p(HEMA-co-GMA) hydrogels, a decrease in bound water content was observed to be the main factor that reduced the EWC. Photo-polymerized PHEMA hydrogels showed enhanced surface wettability and tensile modulus as compared to those produced via thermal polymerization.