Search

Permanent deformation is considered one of the main distresses in flexible pavement. It can be defined as the accumulation of unrecoverable strains under the wheel paths as a result of applied load. The main objectives of this research is firstly to study the effect of using (SBS) (Styrene Butadiene Styrene) as elastomer polymers and (PVC) (Polyvinyl Chloride) as plastomer polymers on performance grade of asphalt binder and secondly to predict the deformations that produced in asphalt pavement related to the structure of the pavement, climate condition and load traffic. In this study, 2% and 4% of PVC were added for both neat asphalt and asphalt modified with 2% SBS. Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) device was used to achieve the performance grade (PG) of modified asphalt binder whereas roller compactor and wheel track devices were used to assess rut depth. The model has been developed from the data which gathered by experimental tests for permanent deformations with independent variables such as: number of cycles, viscosity according to the type of additive, aggregates gradation and degree of temperature by using SPSS software. The results demonstrated that the PG of the neat asphalt binder increased by three and four degrees when 2% and 4% of PVC were added to asphalt modified with 2% of SBS respectively, while it increased by one and two degrees when 2% and 4% of PVC were added to the neat asphalt respectively but it increased by two degrees when added 2% of SBS to the neat asphalt binder. From the results which were obtained from the analysis of sensitivity, it is appeared that the temperature significantly influences on rut depth of the pavement. Also, the results showed that the increasing of coarse aggregate percentage in a mix will cause an increasing in the depth of rut. Furthermore, it is found that increasing percentages of polymers types led to increase asphalt viscosity and as a results the rut depth of asphaltic mixture will be reduced.

Uygulama bölgelerinde servis ömrü boyunca yeterli performans sağlayabilecek üstyapı kaplama tabakaları inşa edebilmek amacıyla uygun bağlayıcı seçimi büyük önem arz etmektedir. Trafik ve iklim koşullarından dolayı üstyapı kaplama tabakaları aşırı gerilmelere maruz kalmaktadır. Esnek üstyapı kaplama tabakalarının ana bileşenlerinden olan bitümlü bağlayıcıların özelliklerini iyileştirmek amacıyla çeşitli katkı malzemeleri modifkasyon amacıyla kullanılmaktadır. Modifikasyon yöntemiyle bitümlü bağlayıcıların mühendislik ve elde edilen asfalt karışımların mekanik özellikleri iyileştirilebilmektedir. Hibrit modifikasyon, geliştirilmiş bir modifikasyon elde etmek için iki farklı tipte asfalt katkı malzemesinin birlikte kullanılması yöntemidir. Bağlayıcı ve karışımların performanslarının iyileştirilmesi, maliyetlerin azaltılması ve atık malzemelerden faydalanılması hibrit modifikasyonun başlıca amaçlarındandır. Çalışma kapsamında, elastomerik (stiren-butadien-stiren (SBS), Kraton® D1101) ve plastomerik (Titan® 7686) katkı maddeleri ve bunların kombinasyonunun bitüm modifikasyonunda kullanılmasıyla bağlayıcıların reolojik özellikleri üzerindeki etkileri incelenmiştir. Deneysel çalışma sonucunda hem elastomerik hem de plastomerik katkı maddelerinin bitümlü bağlayıcıların yüksek sıcaklık performansını iyileştirdiği belirlenmiştir. Plastomerik katkı maddesi bağlayıcıların esnekliğini olumsuz etkilemiştir. Katkıların birlikte kullanımı değerlendirildiğinde %3,5 SBS +%1,0 Plastomerik katkı kullanılması durumunda Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü şartname gereksinimlerinin karşılandığı, %4,5 SBS ile benzer performans seviyesinin sağlandığı tespit edilmiştir., In the application areas, the selection of suitable binders is of great importance in order to build superstructure coating layers that can provide sufficient performance throughout the service life. Due to traffic and climate conditions, the superstructure coating layers are exposed to excessive stresses. Various additives are used for modification in order to improve the properties of bituminous binders, which are one of the main components of flexible superstructure coating layers. With the modification method, the engineering properties of the bituminous binders and the mechanical properties of the asphalt mixes obtained can be improved. Hybrid modification is a method of using two different types of asphalt additives together to achieve an improved modification. Improving the performance of binders and mixtures, reducing costs and utilizing waste materials are among the main objectives of hybrid modification. In the study, the effects of elastomeric (styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), Kraton® D1101) and plastomeric (Titan® 7686) additives and their combination on the rheological properties of the binders were investigated using bitumen modification. As a result of the experimental study, it has been determined that both elastomeric and plastomeric additives improve the high temperature performance of bituminous binders. The plastomeric additive adversely affected the flexibility of the binders. When using the additives together, it was determined that if 3.5% SBS + 1.0% Plastomeric additive is used, the General Directorate of Highways specification requirements were met and a similar performance level was achieved with 4.5% SBS.

Polymer-modified bitumen binders have been dramatically used over the last decade to combat the increasing weight and volume of heavy vehicle traffic and to reduce the pavement maintenance ...

Asphalt is a complex mixture consisted of physical phases and composed of hydrocarbons and nonmetallic derivatives. Due to the effects of vehicle loading repeated and cycling of temperature, neat asphaltic concrete pavements are exposed to cracking and rutting, therefore; modification of the neat asphalt is generally required. The main objectives of this research is to investigate the influence of using hybrid elastomer and plastomer polymers on rheological properties and chemical bonding of the asphalt binder. In this work, 1% and 3% of (PVC) (Polyvinyl Chloride) were added for both pure asphalt and asphalt modified with 3% (SBS) (Styrene Butadiene Styrene) “Hybrid plastomer and elastomer polymers”. To determine the performance grade (PG) of modified asphalt and assess its rheological properties superpave system tests were applied tacking into account short and long term aging while FTIR test was used to study the effect of modifiers on chemical bonding. The results of the study reveal that the PG increased by one degree when 1% of PVC is used but PG increased by two degrees when 3% of PVC and 3% of SBS are added. The results also show that PG increased three degrees when 1% PVC plus 3% SBS are sued while it increased four degrees when 3%PVC plus 3% SBS are sued. This gives an indication that hybrid polymers have significant influence on improving the PG of the modified asphalt as compared with control asphalt binder. From FTIR test results, it is found that the modified asphalt binder had a positive influence on aging process as compared with neat asphalt; therefore, fatigue cracking and rutting of the modified asphalt will be improved.

Moisture damage can be defined as the loss of strength of asphaltic mixtures that resulted from the presence of water. The main objectives of this research is to investigate the influence of using hybrid elastomer and plastomer polymers modifiers, aggregate gradations and mineral fillers on moisture resistance of asphalt concrete mixture. In this study, 1% and 3% of plastomer Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) were added for both pure asphalt binder and asphalt modified with 3% of elastomer Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) to form hybrid polymers. Two types of mineral fillers were used: portland cement and limestone dust with two types of aggregate gradations: fine and coarse. A Humboldt Machine was used to measure the maximum load which makes the specimens completely fractures and then to estimate the Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR). The results of the study depict that the hybrid polymers improve the tensile strength ratio. This give an indication that hybrid polymers have great effect on improving the performance of modified asphalt binder. Also, results show that hybrid polymers improve the properties of flexible pavement against moisture damage and as a result increasing the durability and the service life of the pavements. According to that, it is concluded that modifying asphalt with hybrid polymers is more preferable to be used as anti-striping. Furthermore, it is deduced that fine gradation mixtures is more resistance than coarse mixtures to moisture damage. It is also recommended to use portland cement instead of limestone dust as mineral filler material in HMA.

Polimeri su neizostavni dio modernog društva. Oni čine veliki dio svih većih industrija; prometa, građevinarstva, energije, poljoprivrede, tekstila, prehrane, farmacije, itd. Polimerni materijali upotrijebljeni u takvim industrijama mogu dolaziti u različitim oblicima i sadržavati različita svojstva. U ovom radu objašnjena su svojstva polimera, a težina je stavljena na njihova mehaničko toplinska svojstva. Opisane su norme određivanja toplinske postojanosti oblika pod opterećenjem (HRN EN ISO 75), određivanje temperature omekšavanja po Vicatu (HRN EN ISO 306) i metoda dobivanja temperature postojanosti oblika po Martensu. U eksperimentalnom dijelu rada potrebno je dostupni uređaj na katedri za preradu polimera poboljšati te pustiti u rad. Nakon toga provedena su ispitivanja temperature omekšavanja po Vicatu na četiri različitih plastomera za potvrdu ispravnosti uređaja. Polymers are indispensable materials to modern society. They constitute a large part of major industries, including transport, construction, energy, agriculture, textiles, food, pharmacy, etc. The polymers used in such industries come in different forms and contain various characteristics. This paper will examine the properties of various polymers and focus on their mechanical and thermal properties. The described standards include determination of temperature of deflection under load (HRN EN ISO 75), determination of Vicat softening temperature (HRN EN ISO 306), and Martens method for determining heat – deflection temperature. The experimental part of this paper discusses improvement and putting into service the machine at polymer processing department. Lastly, tests of determination of Vicat softening temperatures are carried out on four different thermoplastic materials to confirm machine accuracy.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based magnetorheological plastomer (MRP) possesses excellent magnetically dependent mechanical properties such as the magnetorheological effect (MR effect) when exposed to an external magnetic field. PVA-based MRP also shows a shear stiffening (ST) effect, which is very beneficial in fabricating pressure sensor. Thus, it can automatically respond to external stimuli such as shear force without the magnetic field. The dual properties of PVA-based MRP mainly on the ST and MR effect are rarely reported. Therefore, this work empirically investigates the dual properties of this smart material under the influence of different solvent compositions (20:80, 40:60, 60:40, and 80:20) by varying the ratios of binary solvent mixture (dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to water). Upon applying a shear stress with excitation frequencies from 0.01 to 10 Hz, the storage modulus (G′) for PVA-based MRP with DMSO to water ratio of 20:40 increases from 6.62 × 10−5 to 0.035 MPa. This result demonstrates an excellent ST effect with the relative shear stiffening effect (RSTE) up to 52,827%. In addition, both the ST and MR effect show a downward trend with increasing DMSO content to water. Notably, the physical state of hydrogel MRP could be changed with different solvent ratios either in the liquid-like or solid-like state. On the other hand, a transient stepwise experiment showed that the solvent’s composition had a positive effect on the arrangement of CIPs within the matrix as a function of the external magnetic field. Therefore, the solvent ratio (DMSO/water) can influence both ST and MR effects of hydrogel MRP, which need to be emphasized in the fabrication of hydrogel MRP for appropriate applications primarily with soft sensors and actuators for dynamic motion control.

The failure of bituminous pavements takes place due to heavy traffic loads and weather-related conditions, such as moisture, temperature, and UV radiation. To overcome or minimize such failures, a great effort has been put in recent years to enhance the material properties of bitumen, ultimately improving field performance and increasing the pavement service life. Polymer modification is considered one of the most suitable and by far the most popular approach. Elastomers, chemically functionalised thermoplastics and plastomers * (* Note: notwithstanding the fact that in Polymer Science the word ‘plastomer’ indicates a polymer with the simultaneous behaviour of an elastomer and plastics (thermoplastics), this paper uses the term ‘plastomer’ to indicate a thermoplastic polymer as it is more commonly found in Civil and Pavement Engineering.) are the most commonly used polymers for bitumen modification. Plastomers provide several advantages and are commonly acknowledged to improve high-temperature stiffness, although some of them are more prone to phase separation and consequent storage instability. Nowadays, due to the recent push for recycling, many road authorities are looking at the use of recycled plastics in roads. Hence, some of the available plastomers—in pellet, flakes, or powder form—are coming from materials recycling facilities rather than chemical companies. This review article describes the details of using plastomers as bitumen modifiers—with a specific focus on recycled plastics—and how these can potentially be used to enhance bitumen performance and the road durability. Chemical modifiers for improving the compatibility between plastomers and bitumen are also addressed in this review. Plastomers, either individual or in combination of two or three polymers, are found to offer great stiffness at high temperature. Different polymers including HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, MDPE, PP, PS, PET, EMA, and EVA have been successfully employed for bitumen modification. However, each of them has its own merit and demerit as thoroughly discussed in the paper. The recent push in using recycled materials in roads has brought new light to the use of virgin and recycled plastomers for bitumen modification as a low-cost and somehow environmental beneficial solution for roads and pavements.

Summary Flexible viscoelastic sensors have gained significant attention in wearable devices owing to their exceptional strain-dependent electrical resistance. Most of the strain sensors are elastic composites, thus the internal stress is often preserved during the deformation when they are attached to the uneven target. Therefore, there is a pressing need for viscoelastic composites with highly self-adapted electromechanical properties sensitive to multiexternal circumstances. This work reports a liquid-metal-filled magnetorheological plastomer (LMMRP) that shows a high response behavior to the external stimulus such as magnetic field, temperature, and force. The shape-deformable LMMRP can transform from an insulator to a conductor under applying a magnetic field, thus the further viscoelastic sensor possesses a magnetic field “on-off” switch effect. The microstructure-dependent magnetic/thermal/mechanical-electrical coupling characteristics are investigated, and several proof-of-concept sensor applications, such as magnetic control, environment recognition, and motion monitoring, are demonstrated. These LMMRP composites show a broad potential in flexible sensors and soft electronics., Graphical abstract, Highlights • A shape-deformable liquid-metal-filled magnetorheological plastomer was created. • The plastomer is sensitive to magnetic field, temperature, and force. • The evolution of the particle microstructure in the plastomer was simulated. • The plastomer has great potential in flexible electronics with magnetic control., Magnetic property; Nanomaterials; Sensor

Polyethylene (PE) plastomers, single-site catalyst-based homogeneous linear low-density PEs (LLDPEs), combine low crystallinity, softness, and elasticity, making them ideal candidates for numerous applications such as hot-melt adhesives (HMA). As plastomers crystallize rather slowly, a number of possible low molecular weight polyolefin components were tested to accelerate solidification. An ideal modifier should accelerate solidification while maintaining transparency and softness of the base polymer. A Queo plastomer type was modified with different PE and PP waxes at concentrations of 5 to 25 wt.-%. Next to conventional calorimetry, a rheological technique was applied to study solidification. The resulting morphology was studied by atomic force microscopy, and the final compositions were investigated regarding their mechanical and optical performance. Accelerated solidification was observed in all cases, but a quite different course of structure formation could be concluded. PE waxes dissolve in the melt state, forming a lamellar network during cooling, whereas PP waxes form a heterogeneous blend in the melt for which the wax droplets solidify before the matrix. The particulate-type modification by the PP wax also affects stiffness less while retaining transparency better.

By blending elastomers, the mechanical properties of polypropylene can be effectively improved then meet the mechanical performance requirements of cable insulation materials. Common elastomer fillers are POE (Polyolefin Elastomer), SBS (Styrene butadiene styrene) and SEBS(Styrene Ethylene Butylene styrene). However, these fillers either have a certain polarity or are not similar to the structure of the matrix molecules, resulting in poor dispersion of the elastomer in the matrix and a significant decrease in electrical properties. In this paper, propylene-ethylene copolymer plastomer (polyolefin plastomer POP) is selected as the filler. Because its molecule contains propylene units, it can be better compatible with the polypropylene matrix and is expected to obtain better dispersibility. This paper studies the SEM, DSC, DMA, space charge and DC breakdown strength of POP/PP composites, and compared the properties with POE/PP materials. It is found that POP exhibits better dispersibility compared with POE; POP/PP has less space charge and the DC breakdown strength of POP/PP is higher than that of POE/PP; POP has a slightly weaker effect to reduce the elastic modulus of the composite. Since the addition of elastomer will destroy the crystallinity of the PP phase, thereby reducing the DC dielectric properties of the composite system, and as the addition weight of elastomer increases, the dielectric properties of the composite material decrease more significantly. The dispersibility of POP in PP is better than that of POE, and it has good compatibility. It has relatively little negative effect on the crystal regularity of the PP matrix. Therefore, the dielectric properties of POP/PP are better than that of POE/PP system, which has less space charge and has higher DC breakdown strength.

Elastomeric materials are among the important classes of versatile polymers and provide exceptional advantages such as softness, stability, elasticity, and extensibility. Plastomers as a polymeric material combine characteristics and features of plastics and elastomers including rubber-like features with the handling capability of plastic materials. The word “plastomer” is a portmanteau of “plastic” and “elastomer”. Thanks to their unique features, elastomers and plastomers have been widely employed, individually and in combination with identical or non-identical families, in various applications. In this chapter, several types of elastomeric and plastomeric materials have been outlined with a particular emphasis on naturally occurring and bottlebrush elastomer/plastomer materials. Different types of smart elastomeric materials have also been covered in this chapter. It was attempted to discuss how and to what extent the novel elastomeric materials have functioned in tires, electric and electronic devices, actuators, soft robotics, microfluidics, tissues and other products.

Polimeri se ubrajaju u najvažnije tehničke materijale današnjice. U mnogim primjenama polimeri ne samo da su zamijenili materijale kao što su drvo, staklo, papir i metali nego su omogućili i razvoj nekih proizvoda i područja koja su obilježila suvremenu civilizaciju. U prvom dijelu rada dat je osvrt na povijesni razvoj polimera, te je prikazana globalna proizvodnja plastike od početka uporabe u industriji do danas. Ukupna godišnja svjetska proizvodnja polimera već je prije dva desetljeća volumenom nadmašila proizvodnju željeza i čelika. Dalje u radu je opisana struktura polimera, te je izvršena sistematizacija polimera u kojoj su s posebnim osvrtom obrađeni polimeri obzirom na ponašanje pri povišenoj temperaturi. Zatim se značajnije govori o polipropilenu, te o ispitivanju rasteznih svojstava prema normi ISO 527. U eksperimentalnom dijelu rada ispitivan je utjecaj brzine opterećenja na rasteznu čvrstoću uzoraka izrađenih od polipropilena (PP BC 250 MO). Uzorci su pripravljeni na hidrauličkoj preši, a testovi su provedeni na univerzalnoj mehaničkoj kidalici pri čemu je brzina opterećenja varirana na tri razine., Polymers are among the most important technical materials of today. In many applications polymers not only replaced materials such as wood, glass, paper and metals but also enabled the development of some products and areas that marked modern civilization. The first part of the paper gives an overview of the historical development of polymers and is graphically depicted global plastic production since the beginning of use in the industry to date. The annual total production of polymers exceeded production of iron and steel by two decades ago. Further on, the structure of the polymer is described and a polymerization systematization was carried out, in which special polymers were treated with regard to behavior at elevated temperature. Then, more importantly, the polypropylene, and the extensional properties test according to ISO 527. In the experimental part, the impact of the load speed on the tensile strength of the sample made of polypropylene (PP BC 250 MO) was examined. Samples were prepared on a hydraulic press, and tests were demonstrated on a universal mechanical ladder where the load speed varied to three levels.

The freezing&ndash, thawing method has been commonly used in the preparation of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel magnetorheological plastomer (PVA HMRP). However, this method is complex and time consuming as it requires high energy consumption and precise temperature control. In this study, PVA HMRP was prepared using a chemically crosslinked method, where borax is used as crosslinking agent capable of changing the rheological properties of the material. Three samples of PVA HMRP with various contents of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) (50, 60, and 70 wt.%) were used to investigate their rheological properties in both steady shear and dynamic oscillation modes. Results showed the occurrence of shear thickening behaviour at low shear rate (&gamma, &gt, 1 s&minus, 1), where the viscosity increased with the increased of shear rate. Moreover, the storage modulus of the samples also increased increasing the oscillation frequency from 0.1 to 100 Hz. Interestingly, the samples with 50, 60 70 wt.% of CIPs produced large relative magnetorheological (MR) effects at 4916%, 6165%, and 10,794%, respectively. Therefore, the inclusion of borax to the PVA HMRP can offer solutions for a wide range of applications, especially in artificial muscle, soft actuators, and biomedical sensors.

A low-cost plastomer was built and analyzed the main factors that can improve its fluidity, such as the use of different specifications and additives. Thermoplastics are materials currently used everywhere, from simple applications such as making toys to aerospace applications. Among the usual thermoplastics in our daily lives we have polypropylene, widely used as raw material for the manufacture of various plastic materials. One of the factors that most interferes with the quality of PP in industrial use is its fluidityindex, measured by the use of plastomer, an extremely expensive equipment. From the analysis of various temperatures and percentages of additives it was possible to identify factors that improve its fluidity, improving industrial applicability. It is concluded that there is a direct relationship between the increase in the melt index (fluidity index) of the melt and the increase in temperature and additives by up to 1%, emphasizing that with 2% worse results can be obtained from the IF. This increase in the bottom IF can be explained by the theory of free volume, where the higher the temperature, the greater the free volume between the molecules and the lower their viscosity, that is, the easier their flow will be.

In this study, the mechanical and rheological properties of hybrid polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) have been investigated. For this purpose, nine different polymers&mdash, including crumb rubber, elastomers and plastomers at varying content&mdash, were studied to evaluate their mechanical performance as single polymers, first, and as a combination of two or more polymers as a hybrid polymer blend. Subsequently, the hybrid polymer blends were added in a relatively small percentage into the base bitumen to study its influence on the rheological performance of hybrid PMB. The mechanical properties identified from the analysis of the stress-strain curve of the single polymers were the Young&rsquo, s Modulus, tensile stress, and elongation at break. The chemical structure of the polymer hybrid blends was analysed using FTIR, followed by frequency sweep tests conducted using the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) to determine the bitumen rheological properties. Results showed that hybrid PMB enhances the viscoelastic behaviour of bitumen at both low and high temperature compared to other PMBs only including single polymers.

A low cross-linked magnetic polymer matrix also known as magnetorheological plastomer (MR plastomer) containing micron-sized carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) is a new kind of MR materials. MR plastomer can be prepared by two main methods which are physically and chemically crosslinking. However, the study on the dynamic properties of involving chemically crosslinked MR plastomer particularly the viscoelastic properties especially frequency-dependent are not systematically investigated. Therefore, in this study, the effect of the frequency on the MR effect and damping performance of chemically crosslinking MR plastomer under oscillatory modes condition were analysed. The magnetic particles namely CIPs were inserted into a plasticine-like polymer matrix causing the materials to exhibit an MR effect in response to an external magnetic field. Polymer base matrix was prepared using poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA), and boric acid (BA) was used as a cross-linking agent for chemically crosslinked MR plastomer. The MR plastomer samples were prepared using 70 wt% of CIPs as magnetic particles. The samples were tested using a rheometer with different test frequencies, which are 1, 5, and 10 Hz at the on-state condition. The experimental results revealed that the frequency has a significant correlation with the MR effect of samples where the MR effect of the sample decreased with the increment of test frequency. The MR effect for each sample at 1, 5, and 10 Hz are 6793, 5049, and 3131% respectively. In contrast, for the frequency sweep test, the storage modulus of the sample showed an increasing trend with the increment of test current, while the loss factor revealed an opposite result. The results proved that this kind of MR materials has the potential to be used in various of applications like soft actuator, vibration absorber, and force sensor.

Thermoplastic Polyolefins (TPOs) are one of the most commonly used polymeric materials in automotive industry due to their better elastomeric properties compare to commercial polyolefins. Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), or olefinic thermoplastic elastomers are prepared by mixing a polyolefin usually copolymer polypropylene and a plastomer in certain fraction in order to improve elastomeric properties. One of the most challenging problems in automotive industry during the production of these materials is to control the mold shrinkage of TPOs since the parts having very high aspect ratio such as bumper, exterior trims, glass run channel are produced by those materials. Therefore, this paper intends to produce TPO formulations with minimum mold shrinkage by focusing on to optimize the mechanical properties. For that purpose, TPO formulations were prepared by melt blending of plastomers having different physical/mechanical properties into a polyolefin phase. The relationship between structure of plastomer and the function of final product TPO was tried to be explained by structural characterization and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. In terms of mold shrinkage values and mechanical properties the optimum TPO compound is found to be “sample A” containing 70% plastomer with medium crystallinity and 30% copolymer PP. It shows low mold shrinkage values in parallel (0,19%) and perpendicular (0,2%) to flow direction and optimum tensile strength (13,4 MPa), tear strength (74,4N/mm) and elongation at break (815%) results. Findings of this study is useful in understanding the micro-events taking place during compound process of PP with plastomers, and to explain the necessary PP-plastomer ratio with desired mechanical traits.

During the last two decades, in-depth investigation on smart magnetic polymer foam or known as magnetorheological (MR) foam has captured researcher’s attention and motivated them to develop a wide spectrum of technology and the vast development of this said polymeric foam material in several potential fields such as in engineering and materials technology. MR foam can be identified as one of the MR materials, consisting of magnetic particles and porous absorbent matrix with the rheological properties that can be regulated continuously, rapidly, and reversibly using an external magnetic field. In particular, it is crucial to highlight the types of MR foam fabrication methods as it will be a significant parameter that would affect the designed and the final properties of MR foams. In other words, the main classifications and properties of MR foam are strongly dependent on the types of the fabrication method that were used such as ex situ and in situ. MR fluid foam, MR elastomer foam, MR plastomer foam, and in situ MR foam are the varieties of MR foam, which can be categorized accordingly based on the different types of the fabrication methods. Besides, the components of MR foam, such as the magnetic particles and absorbent foam matrix, are entirely evaluated to provide the researchers with a clear guidance on the selection and the use of suitable main components for the developments of MR foam. In this overview, the main intensive focuses on the fabrications of MR foam, classifications and potential applications have also been revised to enhance the real-world practicality of this material.

Polymers have been widely used to improve the performance of bitumen. Polypropylene (PP), one of the most common plastomer for bitumen modification, is utilized specially in roofing application adding up to 30 wt% to bitumen. This article presents an investigation of four different polypropylene (PP) polymers having differences in tacticity (atactic and isotactic), molecular weight (Mw ~ 12 000 g/mol and ~250 000 g/mol) and functional side groups (polar) producing modified bitumen with 5, 10 and 16 wt% polymer content, respectively. To investigate the polymers and the resulting polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) dynamical shear rheometer (DSR), dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fluorescence microscopy (FM) is performed. The aim of the study is to understand the dispersion of the polymer within the bitumen and its effect on the thermo-mechanical performance of PMB. Based on the obtained results molecular weight as well as functional side groups were identified as the key parameter affecting the dispersion behaviour of the polymer within the bitumen and, hence, the thermo-rheological properties of PMB.

This work reported a novel magnetorheological plastomer doped with hard magnetic NdFeB particles (named as H-MRP). The dynamic properties of the H-MRP were systematically tested, and the mechanism of its unusual response to magnetic field was discussed. Unlike the MRP filled with soft magnetic particles (S-MRP), the storage modulus (G′) of H-MRPs kept growing by 20% when the magnetic field decreased, while that of S-MRPs decreased with decreasing of the magnetic field immediately without an obvious change. Under the magnetic field ranging from 0 to 1 T, there was a peak value in the rising stage of G′ at about 400 mT magnetic field, while that of S-MRPs changed monotonically. After an off–on progress of the magnetic field, the final G′ of H-MRPs increased by over 10%. A possible mechanism was proposed to study the microstructure dependent mechanical properties. It was found that the complex viscoelastic behavior originated from the large hysteresis characteristics of the H-MRPs.

Nanocrosslinked elastic-plastic nanocomposites are blends that combine economically and performant properties of at least two polymers (elastomer and plastomer) and nanoparticles in a single product. In these blends the elastomeric phase is crosslinked in the thermoplastic melt blending under conditions of thermodynamic technology. This paper presents the development of multiphase elastic-plastic polymeric nanocomposites, dynamically crosslinked, reinforced with nanoparticles for products used in food and pharmaceutical domain, a new variety of composite material based on elastomer (ethylene-propylene-ter-polymer rubber - EPDM) and nanofiller (ZnO and TiO2) dispersed in the plastomer matrix(high density polyethylene-HDPE). Elastomers and nanofiller by nanometric dispersion in plastomer matrix have led to obtaining a performant polymer material with multifunctional characteristics (rubber and thermoplastic) and processing properties specific to plastics. Also, the elastomer was dynamically cross-linked in the plastomer matrix, during processing, by classic vulcanization system with sulfur and accelerators. Accelerators used, namely tert-butyl-2-benzothiazyl sulphenamide -Vulkacit NZ and benzothiazyl-2-dicyclohexyl sulphenamide - Vulcacit DZ. The crosslinking method is ecological, without release of aromatic nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic in the crosslinking process. Obtained composites were physical-mechanical characterized by standard methods specific to plastics.

In order to achieve extended life of asphalt pavement, one of key points is to achieve a good bonding between it’s components. This research paper presents findings on the topic of influence of polyethylene bitumen modification on the adhesion between bitumen and aggregate. A novel method of quantifying the bitumen coated area, based on computer image analysis, has been developed for this study. Two different methods of adhesion testing were employed, namely boiling water method and the rolling bottle method. Aggregates used in this study were granite and limestone. Based on 108 measurements, it was concluded that polyethylene modification has a negative impact on binder aggregate adhesion.

Magnetorheological (MR) plastomer (MRP) is a class of magneto-sensitive smart material that incorporates magnetic particles into a soft polymer matrix. The low cross-linking density matrix allows the magnetic particles to be entrapped without sedimentation. Moreover, the magnetic particles can be moved under the induction of the magnetic field, so the MRP shows well stability and exhibits high MR effect. This chapter provides a detailed introduction to MRPs, including preparation, mechanical and electrical properties, formation mechanism, and applications.

The use of polymer-modified binders in asphalt mixtures has become more widespread due to their reduced thermal susceptibility and improved rutting and fatigue resistance. Nevertheless, their high cost limits their application, thus making the use of reclaimed polymers (RP) an interesting alternative for both reducing price and extending the service life of pavements. This paper, therefore, presents a comparative review of the recycled polymers most commonly studied as bitumen modifiers: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), and ground tire rubber (GTR), in order to facilitate their selection and extend the use of the bitumen. The differences in terms of melting point, mixing conditions, and maximum quantity of added polymer are analyzed. Moreover, their effect on the mechanical behavior of the asphalt binders and their stability with and without the use of additives is presented. According to the literature revision, the performance of the new binder is more influenced by the kind of polymer that was incorporated and the mixing conditions than by the base bitumen that was chosen, although rheological evaluation is needed to fully understand the modification mechanisms of the modified binder. In general terms, plastomers have a stronger effect in terms of increasing the stiffness of the bitumen in comparison with crumb rubber (elastomers), thus providing an improved rutting resistance. The joint use of polyethylene (plastomer) and crumb rubber (elastomer) can be an interesting option for its recycling potential and mechanical performance, although further study is needed to achieve stable bitumen across the entire range of temperatures, additives, such as maleic anhydride (MA), are commonly employed to improve the stability of the binder and enhance its characteristics, but their use could limit the economic benefits of using recycled materials.

In the presented research a series of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixtures with and without Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and rejuvenating agent modified with SBS Polymer modified Binder (PmB) or composite Modified Fibres (MF) were optimized and investigated. In addition, beyond the common wet and dry methods of using waste tire rubber for producing asphalt mixtures, the rubber was added to the fibres with and without containing a plastomer polymer as a modifier. A comprehensive experimental programme including mechanical and performance tests were considered for evaluating the properties of the mixtures modified with PmB or MF with and without rubber and RAP. According to the test results, the SMA mixtures modified with MF were comparable with those of modified with PmB in most of the cases, however, the superiority of PmB mixtures were apparent in some cases. In the case of RAP addition, while it increased the tensile properties of corresponding mixtures observed by ITS and ITSM tests, it intensified the low-temperature sensitivity and reduced the fatigue life of mixtures containing rubberized fibres. Finally, the performance tests, moisture susceptibility and bitumen/aggregate, showed no significant difference between the tested mixtures in terms of moisture susceptibility and effectiveness of rubberized-fibres in bitumen binder’s adhesion properties.

In this work experimental results of the mechanical properties of the Vacuum Packed Particles tested under complex load will be presented. Vacuum packed particles it is the structure composed of granular material inside plastomer enveloped. When the pressure inside is equal or higher than atmospheric pressure system behaves similarly to a liquid, otherwise it has properties similar to viscoplastic solid. The physical properties of the structure may be rapidly change by pulling out the pressure from the system. Due to this properties the vacuum packed particles can be treat as a smart material. Testing of Vacuum Packed Particles under complex loading conditions were not popular in scientific work until now but the data are necessary for the validation process of numerical model. The research proposed in this paper it is a step forward for better understanding of material behavior. The realization of this experiments improved the knowledge of Vacuum Packed Particles.

Two types of polymers (plastomer (functionalized polyethylene (PE)) and elastomer (styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS))) were used for shifting up asphalt binder performance grade (PG) and tensile strength resistance (moisture damage) of the asphalt concrete mixture. It is found that adding 3.5% functionalized polyethylene (PE) polymer to the binder is more effective than adding 4% styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) to shift up asphalt PG by two grades to PG 76-16. Furthermore, the viscosity of the binder increased about 200% when using 4% SBS, while there is no significant effect on viscosity when 3.5% PE is used. Therefore, there is no need to increase the temperature of mixing and compaction which may affect polymers. The indirect tensile test was used for measuring tensile strength ratio of dry and wet samples (conditioned according to ASTM D4867) and found that this ratio increased by 10 to 18% when using 4% SBS and 3.5% PE, respectively. Fracture energy (area under the strength-strain curve) and elasticity were estimated for neat and modified mixture samples.

A novel approach for the development of ultra-light, fully-thermoplastic fiber reinforced composites is presented. The composite material consists of a polyolefin plastomer (POP) matrix reinforced with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. The interfacial affinity of both polyolefins is enhanced by the deposition of a nanometer-scale polar functional plasma polymer film on the surface of the filaments within a reel-to-reel continuous process. The activated UHMWPE yarn is subsequently coated with a layer of the matrix material using a modified wire coating process in order to produce a hybrid yarn. The improved adhesion between the two materials is demonstrated by means of a specially developed yarn pull-out method that measures the UHMWPE–POP interfacial shear strength. The combination of the two techniques employed in the development of the hybrid yarn largely maintains tensile strength as well as the crystalline structure of the UHMWPE yarn as determined by wide angle X-ray diffraction. Alternate layers of woven hybrid yarn and woven pure UHMWPE yarn are then stacked and the lay-up is consolidated by hot compaction, resulting in a composite laminate with a fiber volume fraction of 0.54 and a density of 0.93 g/cm3. Keywords: UHMWPE, Thermoplastic composite, Plasma polymerization, Extrusion