Water Responsive Mechano-adaptive Elastomer Composites based on Active Filler Morphology

摘要

Mechanically adaptive materials are a class of smart materials which can be used to reversibly change its mechanical properties with stimuli like electricity,water,magnetic field,solvents etc.New strategies have been attempted to design a mechanically switchable elastomer composites that can be stimulated by water.The inherent ability of calcium sulphate to reversibly change the morphology and its crystal structure when it comes in contact with water/heat is exploited in elastomer composites by dispersing it as functional filler.A compatible water swellable elastomer blend based on epichlorohydrin-ethylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether(GECO)and hydrophilic ethylene oxide-propylene oxide-allyl glycidyl ether(GEPO)is developed to fulfill the water requirements of the calcium sulphate transformation process.Mechanical adaptability is realized by the reinforcement caused when the composite is exposed to water treatment process and further,this process can be brought back to its initial state(unreinforced state)by heat treatment process.This reversible nature of reinforcing and non-reinforcing ability of the filler is attributed to the varying polymer-filler interaction in the elastomer composites due to the insitu morphology transformation(micro to nano)of the calcium sulphate filler particles.The developed composites/strategies offer versatile opportunities in designing smart tires,smart seals,dynamic implants,membranes,etc.