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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 volume 56, pages 173–183 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

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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Acknowledgements

We would like to appreciate Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation for providing EVOH samples and advising to the experimental data. We would like to also thank Ms. Atsuko Mori of Nagoya Institute of Technology, for SEM and EDS analyses. DMA measurement was supported by the Equipment Sharing Division, Organization for Co-Creation Research and Social Contributions, Nagoya Institute of Technology.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Hana Watanabe, Mayu Horada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8555, Japan

    Hana Watanabe, Mayu Horada, Katsuhiro Inomata & Shogo Nobukawa

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  1. Hana Watanabe
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  3. Katsuhiro Inomata
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Correspondence to Shogo Nobukawa.

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Watanabe, H., Horada, M., Inomata, K. et al. Enhancing the transparency and tensile properties of immiscible poly(methyl methacrylate)/ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer blends by lithium salt addition. Polym J 56, 173–183 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-023-00866-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-023-00866-6

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