Structuring polymer blends with bicontinuous phase morphology. Part II. Tailoring blends with ultralow critical volume fraction

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 44; no. 5; pp. 1661 - 1669
• Main Authors: Lyngaae-Jørgensen, J, Utracki, L.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bicontinuous phase structure; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer blends; Properties and characterization; Structure, morphology and analysis; Ultralow critical volume fraction; HDPE; Polymer blends; Bicontinuous phase structure; PS; THF; BPS; Ultralow critical volume fraction; PDMS; Dimethylsiloxane polymer; Morphology; High density ethylene polymer; Methyl methacrylate polymer; Styrene polymer; Experimental study; Modeling; Heterogeneous mixture; Structure composition relationship
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/S0032-3861(02)00867-4

A hypothesis providing a guideline for the development of immiscible polymer blends with co-continuous phase structure at very low critical volume fraction of one component is postulated and experimentally verified. Based on a number of simplifying assumptions the following relation was derived: φcr=k(λγ̇)1−z/(θb∗)z where λγ̇ is a Deborah number and θb∗ is a dimensionless break-up time. The equation parameters, k and z are constant that depend on the flow field hence on the blending equipment. For the studies an internal mixer with Walzenkneter-type 30 mixing shafts was used. For this equipment the experimental values of the equation parameters, k=1801 and z=2.01, were found.