Solid State NMR Measurements for Preliminary Lifetime Assessments in γ-Irradiated and Thermally Aged Siloxane Elastomers

MRS Online Proceedings Library volume 851, pages133–138(2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Siloxanes have a wide variety of applications throughout the aerospace industry which take advantage of their exceptional insulating and adhesive properties and general resilience. They also offer a wide range of tailorable engineering properties with changes in composition and filler content. They are, however, subject to degradation in radiatively and thermally harsh environments. We are using solid state nuclear magnetic resonance techniques to investigate changes in network and interfacial structure in siloxane elastomers and their correlations to changes in engineering performance in a series of degraded materials. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters such as transverse (T2) relaxation times, cross relaxation rates, and residual dipolar coupling constants provide excellent probes of changes crosslink density and motional dynamics of the polymers caused by multi-mechanism degradation. The results of NMR studies on aged siloxanes are being used in conjunction with other mechanical tests to provide insight into component failure and degradation kinetics necessary for preliminary lifetime assessments of these materials as well as into the structure-property relationships of the polymers. NMR and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results obtained both from high resolution NMR spectrometers as well as low resolution benchtop NMR screening tools will be presented.

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Acknowledgments

This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract # W-7405-ENG-48.

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Affiliations

  1. Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, U.S.A.

    Sarah C. Chinn, Julie L. Herberg & Robert S. Maxwell

  2. Energy and Environment Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, 94550, U.S.A.

    April M. Sawvel

Authors
  1. Sarah C. Chinn
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  2. Julie L. Herberg
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  3. April M. Sawvel
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  4. Robert S. Maxwell
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Correspondence to Sarah C. Chinn.

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Chinn, S.C., Herberg, J.L., Sawvel, A.M. et al. Solid State NMR Measurements for Preliminary Lifetime Assessments in γ-Irradiated and Thermally Aged Siloxane Elastomers. MRS Online Proceedings Library 851, 133–138 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-851-NN11.6

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