Mechanical properties of a rubber-reinforced block copolymer PMMA: Effect of the nanostructuration on tribological performances

• Bulk and surface mechanical properties of a PMMA triblock copolymer are studied.
• The ductility of the surface response of this new material is characterized.
• Surface yielding occurs at higher strain thanks to the material nanostructuration.

The effect of a nanostructured architecture of a rubber-reinforced block copolymer PMMA on both volume and surface mechanical properties is studied. The rubber inclusions ordered at the nanoscale enhance the ductile behavior of the triblock copolymer. This acrylic glass can therefore be easily thermoformed even. Besides, polymeric surfaces are sensitive to scratches which have direct influence on optical transparency. Scratches, which left irreversible grooves on the surface, appear at higher strains with rubber inclusion ordered at the nanoscale compared to classical PMMA or high impact cast PMMA. Eventually, the studied rubber-reinforced block copolymer PMMA is a good candidate to acrylic glass dedicated to automotive glazing.

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