In this study, we measured the leakage current at 30~80℃ and 90~170℃ under a voltage of 200~980 V applied to samples (ordinary temperature) and polyamide film specimens degraded at 170℃ for 20 minute respectively. After the specimen was degraded at 130℃ and 50℃, a voltage of 200 to 800 V was applied for 10 to 60 minutes. The measurement of the leakage current resulted in the following conclusions. In the case of using Al and Cu as the main electrode, it was confirmed that the leakage current also increased in high temperatures as the voltage increased. Regardless of the type of main electrode, when the temperature was constant at 130℃ and 50℃, the leakage current increased as the voltage increased, and gradually decreased with time. As a result of the FTIR measurement, the main absorption of the infrared absorption spectrum was C=O at about 1650 cm-1 and N-H diagonal vibration occurred at around 1550 cm-1. There was no change in the material, so no effect of temperature was observed. By the results of SEM measurements, as the temperature of degradation increases, cracks in the specimen disappear. This may be because the amide bond (-CO-NH-) is absorbed by the material.

Recycling of waste polyvinyl chloride plastics has attracted much attention due to environmental problems, but the poor mechanical properties, low thermal stability, frequent breakage of strands, and melt cracking of the waste plastics have limited their widespread use. To overcome these disadvantages of waste PVC (W-PVC), recycled PVC powder blend was prepared by adding high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as a heat stabilizer and compatibilizer, respectively. An intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder was used to prepare the blend, and the characteristics of the blend were analyzed by SEM and TGA, and by using a UTM and Izod impact tester. The impact strength was improved as the EVA content increased for the W-PVC/HDPE (80/20 wt%) blend. As the HDPE and EVA contents increased in the W-PVC/HDPE/EVA blend, the impact strength increased. SEM observations also revealed the improved interfacial adhesion for the EVA-containing blend.

Main-chain/side-chain liquid crystalline polymers (MCSCLCPs) combined with an azobenzene group and a cholesteryl group were synthesized to impart light and temperature sensitivity to the polymer. The polymers were designed with the azobenzene unit as the mesogenic group of the main-chain and various compositions of the azobenzene and cholesteryl units as the mesogenic group of the side-chain. The chemical structures and physical properties of the synthesized polymers were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarized optical microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. All the MCSCLCPs were amorphous and exhibited enantiotropic liquid crystal phases; these polymers achieved the nematic phase with increasing content of the azobenzene group and exhibited the cholesteric phase with weak liquid crystallinity as the content of the cholesteryl group was increased. Furthermore, the polymers containing the azobenzene group showed photoisomerization when exposed to UV-Vis light, and the CP-A3C7 and CP-A5C5 polymers exhibited thermochromism in the temperature range of the liquid crystal phase.

Chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) -bamboo charcoal/silica (CS-PVA-BC/SI) hybrid fillers with compatibilized styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) composites were fabricated by the interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) method. The structure and composition of the composite samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The viscoelastic behaviors of the rubber composites and their vulcanizates were explored using a rubber processing analyzer (RPA) in the rheometer, strain sweep and temperature sweep modes. The storage and loss moduli of SBR increased significantly with the incorporation of different hybrid fillers, which was attributed to the formation of an interphase between the hybrid fillers and rubber matrix, and the effective dispersion of the hybrid fillers. The mechanical properties (hardness, tensile strength, oxygen transmission rate, and swelling rate) of the composite samples were characterized in detail. From the results of the mechanical test, it was found that BC-CS-PVA0SBR had the best mechanical properties. Therefore, the BC-CS-PVA hybrid filler provided the best reinforcement effects for the SBR latex in this research.

Four different diisocyanates (IPDI; isophorone diisocyanate, HDI; hexamethylene diisocyanate, HMDI; dicyclohexylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate, and XDI; m-xylylene diisocyanate) were used to prepare polyurethane gel-coats, and the weatherabilities, physical properties, and surface characteristics of the gel-coats were investigated with respect to the chemical structure of the diisocyanates. The weathering test results indicated that all of the diisocyanates used in this study were suitable for use in the preparation of the polyurethane gel-coat. However, the set-to-touch times and physical properties of the polyurethane gel-coat indicated that the cycloaliphatic diisocyanate (IPDI and HMDI) were ideal for the preparation of polyurethane gel-coats.

Four different polymer compounds were prepared from four kinds of plasticizers, viz. di-2-ethylhexyl azelate (DOZ), di-2-ethylhexyl adipate (DOA), di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate (DOS), and di-2-butyl sebacate (DBS), for making cable sheaths for ships. Ethylene-vinyl acetate and ethylene-propylene-diene-copolymer as matrix polymers and ethylene-vinyl acetate grafted maleic anhydride as a coupling agent were compounded with a flame retardant, crosslinking agent, filler, and other additives, besides the plasticizer to obtain the polymer compounds. The polymer containing DOZ showed the highest MH and ΔT in the rheology test, while that containing DBS was found to have the lowest tensile strength and highest elongation because of low ΔT. The four polymers showed similar values (31.7-31.9) for flame resistance, while the polymer containing DOZ showed the highest value for cold resistance.

The physical properties of chloroprene rubber (CR) compounds reinforced with networked silicas were investigated by comparing them to those reinforced with conventional silica to observe the effect of the organic connection bonds combining silica particles on their cure, tensile, and aging performance. The introduction of networked silica to CR increase in silica content to 80 phr in rubber, while the content of conventional silica was limited to 60 phr. The CR compounds reinforced with networked silica showed higher resistance to combustion. The gradual increases in delta torque, Mooney viscosity, and modulus of silica-filled CR compounds with silica content were mainly attributed to the specific interaction between the chlorine atoms of CR and the hydroxyl groups of silica. The CR compounds reinforced with networked silica showed low compression set and heat build-up and maintained their high modulus even after thermal, oil, and ozone aging.

The rapid development of the automobile industry is an important factor that led to the dramatic development of synthetic rubber. The tread part of tire that comes in direct contact with the road surface is related to the service life of the tire. Rubber compounds used in tire treads are often blended with SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) and BR (butadiene rubber) to satisfy physical property requirements. However, when two or more kinds of rubber are blended, phase separation and silica dispersion problems may occur due to non-uniform mixing of the rubber. Therefore, in this study, we synthesized an SBR copolymer with the same composition as that of a typical SBR/BR blend compound by controlling butadiene content during ESBR (emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber) synthesis. Subsequently, silica filled compounds were manufactured using the synthesized ESBR, and their mechanical properties, dynamic viscoelasticity, and crosslinking density were compared with those of the SBR/BR blended compound. When the content of butadiene was increased in the silica filled compound, the cure rate accelerated due to an increased number of allylic positions, which typically exhibit higher reactivity. However, the T-2 compound with increased butadiene content by synthesis less likely to show an increase in crosslink density due to poor silica dispersion. In addition, the T-3 compound containing high cis BR content showed high crosslink density due to its monosulfide crosslinking structure. Because of the phase separation, SBR/BR blend compounds were easily broken and showed similar M100% and M300% values as those of other compounds despite their high crosslink density. However, the developed blend showed excellent abrasion resistance due to the high cis-1,4 butadiene content and low rolling resistance due to the high crosslink density.

Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (VA). It is important to determine the VA content of EVA, since the properties of EVA depend highly on the VA content. EVA copolymers have been used in a wide range of applications appropriate for the different VA contents. IR, NMR, and TGA are generally used for determination of the VA content of EVA copolymers. Of these, TGA is the most reliable method and can be applied to cured EVAs. Analytical methods for determination of the VA content and properties of EVA copolymers via TGA were herein reviewed. Thermal behaviors of EVA copolymers (glass transition temperature (Tg), melting point (Tm), and crystallization temperature (Tc)) determined by DSC were also reviewed. Analysis of the related literature revealed that the Tg, Tm, and Tc decrease by about 0.46, 1.36, and 2.08°C, respectively, for every 1 wt% in VA content. A method for determining the degree of crosslinking of cured EVA copolymers was also reviewed, and the degree of crosslinking tends to increase with the decrease in the VA content.

The function and purpose of the marine rubber fender, to prevent the damage of the ship and the mooring while the ship is being attached to the pier. However, maintenance of the fender after installation is not enough, because it is generally handled as an attachment facility. Estimation the life of a marine rubber fender is important in the maintenance of a port. When manufacturers design and produce marine rubber fenders, they do so according to various conditions such as the reaction force acting on the hull and docking vessel and deformation after absorbing the kinetic energy of the ship. In this study, a method for predicting and evaluating service life from the product design and development stage was established, in order to evaluate the durability of the marine rubber fenders. The SSp-300H and HSP-300H models were used to predict the service life. The method developed in this study, is expected to predict the service life of the marine rubber fender accurately and in a comparatively shorter time, thereby contributing to the evaluation standard and quality stability of the product.