Conformational relaxation of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer at a solid interface

Conformational relaxation of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer at a solid interface

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ABSTRACT The relaxation of the local conformation of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) rubber at the quartz interface was examined by sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy in


conjunction with all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. At room temperature, SFG peaks due to the CH symmetric stretching vibration of methyl (CH3s) and methylene (CH2s) groups were


observed, and the intensity was stronger for CH3s than for CH2s. The CH3s to CH2s intensity ratio was reversed during the heating process, meaning that the local conformation of EPDM at the


interface changed. MD simulations revealed that the fraction of ethylene units in the trans conformation on the substrate surface decreased once the temperature was greater the interfacial


glass transition temperature (_T_g), which was determined based on the temperature dependence of the mass density. Moreover, the temperature-induced change in the fraction of propylene units


in the trans conformation was less remarkable than that of ethylene units. Both SFG spectroscopy and MD simulation confirmed that the _T_g was higher in the interfacial region than in the


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silica surfaces. Langmuir. 2001;17:4329–35. Article  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank Prof. Daisuke Kawaguchi of Kyushu University for fruitful


discussions and are also grateful for support from the JST-Mirai Program (JPMJMI18A2). The authors also thank Mr. Kotaro Ichino (Mitsui Chemicals Inc.) for his great cooperation in our


research. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Mitsui Chemicals Inc., Chiba, 299-0265, Japan Kiminori Uchida & Kazuki Mita * Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University,


Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan Kiminori Uchida & Keiji Tanaka * Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS), Tokai, Ibaraki, 319-1106, Japan Kazuki Mita * Center for


Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan Satoru Yamamoto & Keiji Tanaka Authors * Kiminori Uchida View author publications You can


also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Kazuki Mita View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Satoru Yamamoto View author


publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Keiji Tanaka View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING


AUTHORS Correspondence to Kiminori Uchida, Satoru Yamamoto or Keiji Tanaka. ETHICS DECLARATIONS CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare no competing interests. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


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permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Uchida, K., Mita, K., Yamamoto, S. _et al._ Conformational relaxation of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer at a solid interface. _Polym J_


55, 683–690 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-023-00764-x Download citation * Received: 26 December 2022 * Revised: 28 January 2023 * Accepted: 29 January 2023 * Published: 02 March


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