Effect of Composition and Processing Condition on Microstructural Properties and Durability of Fluoropolymer/Acrylic Blends

Published

September 24, 2008

Author(s)

Li Piin Sung, Xiaohong Gu, Derek L. Ho, Forrest A. Landis, D Nguyen

Abstract

Fluoropolymer-based coatings have been greatly used as binders for exterior coatings because of their excellent resistance to UV radiation as well as to many corrosive chemical agents. It is also known that the fluorinated component usually has a lower glass transition temperature and easily forms a crystalline structure in the final product depending upon the blend composition and sample annealing condition. In this study, we investigated the effect of blend composition and annealing process (slow and fast cooling) on the surface morphology, microstructure, and UV degradation of a poly(vinylidene fluoride)/ poly(methyl methacrylate) (PVDF/PMMA) blend. Surface and subsurface microstructures were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). Bulk microstructure of PVDF-coatings before and after UV degradation were characterized using small angle neutron and light scattering. The higher PVDF content and slower cooling process provides a larger spherulite crystallite structure and rougher surface morphology. Significant ordering in the spherulite crystallite structure has been observed on the surface and the bulk films after UV exposure.

Citation

Chinese Journal of Polymer Science

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

AFM, confocal microscopy, crystallinity, surface morphology, small angle scattering, UV exposure

Citation

Sung, L. , Gu, X. , Ho, D. , Landis, F. and Nguyen, D. (2008), Effect of Composition and Processing Condition on Microstructural Properties and Durability of Fluoropolymer/Acrylic Blends, Chinese Journal of Polymer Science (Accessed April 19, 2024)