Elastomer Mechanics of Cross-Linked Linear-Ring Polymer Blends

ST Zhang and TC O'Connor and GS Grest and T Ge, ACS MACRO LETTERS, 14, 509-515 (2025).

DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5c00095

Cross-linking a blend of linear and ring polymers creates a new topology-based dual-network elastomer in which the two components differ significantly in their topology. We use molecular simulations and topological analysis to examine key mechanical properties as functions of ring polymer volume fraction phi(R). For phi(R) < phi(R)*, where the rings begin to overlap, the network shear modulus G and the maximum stretch ratio lambda(p) are weakly dependent on phi(R). For phi(R) > phi(R)*, entanglements trapped in the network are diluted as the rings overlap, leading to a significant decrease in G and an increase in lambda(p) with increasing phi(R). The peak tensile stress, sigma(p), exhibits a maximum around phi(R)*, indicating an enhancement of network strength due to the stronger cohesion from the entanglements between linear and ring polymers.

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