Morphology and finite strain rheologyof NBR/TPU blends

Due to orientational and dispersional interactions between molecules in polar polymer blends, such as NBR/TPU, secondary molecular networks are formed, which, despite their weakness, essentially affect rheological properties of the blends. Being highly susceptible to strain and temperature changes, the secondary networks under such conditions undergo breakdown, causing changes in blends' rheological characteristics. Particularly suitable method for tracking such network breakdown is by measuring the blends' dynamic mechanical functions at different strains and temperatures. For elucidation of these measurements a model is chosen, analysing a secondary network breakdown by statistical mechanics, whose final result is strain, temperature and compositional dependence of the blends' dynamic mechanical functions. Along with the measurements', the chosen model, originally devised to study rheological properties of carbon black filled rubbers, also provides means for quantitative characterization of secondary ne...