Blending viscosity effects

The addition of LCP sharply decreased the viscosity of PP in the melt blends, but increased it in the composites. The increase in viscosity effected by the solid LCP fibers was nevertheless surprisingly small. 

Chu et al. [24] correlated viscosity-morphology and compatibility of PS-PB blends. The effect of styrene-butadiene triblock copolymer in PS-PB was studied, and it was found that the domain size decreases with an increase of compatibilizer loading. The blending methods influenced the morphology due to the difference in the extent of mixing. 

As demonstrated, Eq. (7) gives complete information on how the weight fraction influences the blend viscosity by taking into account the critical stress ratio A, the viscosity ratio 8, and a parameter K, which involves the influences of the phenomenological interface slip factor a or ao, the interlayer number m, and the d/Ro ratio. It was also assumed in introducing this function that (1) the TLCP phase is well dispersed, fibrillated, aligned, and just forms one interlayer (2) there is no elastic effect (3) there is no phase inversion of any kind (4) A < 1.0 and (5) a steady-state capillary flow under a constant pressure or a constant wall shear stress. 

Besides the thermodynamic properties, viscosity effects also played an important role, as in all commercial blends prepared by a melt process [196]. 

This article is an overview of the novel technology of self-reinforced LCPs with polyesters, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene naphtha-late) (PEN) [10-13, 21, 23], LCP/polyester blends in a polyester matrix form in situ fibrils which improve the mechanical properties. LCPs have an inherently low melt viscosity, and provide LCP/polyester blends that effectively lower the melt viscosity during melt spinning [24], and fast injection-molding cycles. The miscibility between the LCP and polyesters can be controlled by the degree of transesterification [25] in the reactive extrusion step, and fibril formation in LCP-reinforced polyester fibers has been studied. 

Compatibihzation enhances dispersion, increases the total apparent volume of the dispersed phase, rigidifies the interface, and increases interactions not only between the two phases, but also between the dispersed drops. These changes usually increase the blends viscosity, elasticity and the yield stress. The compatibilizer effects are especially evident at low frequencies. There are two mechanisms that may further affect these behaviors (i) the... 

Flow of emulsions provides the best model for polymer blends, where the viscosity of both polymers is comparable. The microrheology of emulsions provides the best, predictive approach to morphological changes that take place during flow of polymer blends. The effect of emulsifiers on the drop size and its stability in emulsions has direct equivalence in the compatibilization effects in polymer blends. 

Different polymer blends like PE (polyethylene)/PS (polystyrene) [10-11] and PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate)/PS [12-13] have been produced using supercritical C02-assisted extrusion. Fully intermeshing twin-screw extruders have been used in these studies. A decreased shear thinning behavior on dissolution of supercritical CO2 into blends was observed. The obtained reduction in viscosity ratio resulted in a finer dispersion of the minor phase, which is desirable to create a good polymer blend. The effect of supercritical CO2 on the dispersion of the minor phase for a PMMA/PS blend can be seen clearly in Fig. 12.5. 

Solvent Neat viscosity Effective viscosity in hydrocarbon solvents Effective viscosity in aqueous blends... 

Aspects of viscosity, elasticity, and morphology have been discussed in general terms by various workers [73-76]. Rheological studies specific to particular polymers include dynamic rheological measurements and capillary rheometry of rubbers [77], capillary rheometry of PP [78], degradation of PP [79], torsion rheometry of PE [80], viscosity effects in blends of PC with styrene-acrylonitrile and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene [81], peel adhesion of rubber-based adhesives [82], and the effect of composition of melamine-formaldehyde resins on rheological properties [83]. 

Zhou et al. [67] investigated the effect on electrical properties of incorporating carbon black in a low-density polyethylene composite and low-density polyethylene ethylene methyl acrylate blends. Electrical conductivity/resistivity measurements have shown that the percolation threshold of ethylene-methylacrylate blend polymer composites was significantly lower than that of the low-density polyethylene composite, although in an ethylene-methyl acrylate composite the threshold is higher. The effect was due to preferential absorption of the carbon black into low-density polyethylene due to phase separation and immiscibility in low-density polyethylene-ethylene-methyl acrylate blends. Viscosity of polymers in the blend appeared to determine distribution on the carbon black, indicating that choice of polymer viscosity could be used to control carbon black distribution. 

It was determined that the size and shape of the dispersed phase (SPS) in the nylon 6/SPS fiber are critical to obtaining surface roughness. Three factors affect this morphology compatibilization of the blend, viscosity ratio of the nylon 6 and SPS phases, and concentration of SPS in the blend. Rgure 16.9 depicts the effect of viscosity ratio on the morphology of the SPS/nylon blends. 

Dyes, application and evaluation). Foi dyeing fibei blends such as viscose—polyamide, polyamide—Spandex, oi polyestei—cotton, only compatible FWAs may be used that do not inteifeie with one another oi have any detrimental effect on fastness properties. 

Additives. Because of their versatility, imparted via chemical modification, the appHcations of ethyleneimine encompass the entire additive sector. The addition of PEI to PVC plastisols increases the adhesion of the coatings by selective adsorption at the substrate surface (410). PEI derivatives are also used as adhesion promoters in paper coating (411). The adducts formed from fatty alcohol epoxides and PEI are used as dispersants and emulsifiers (412). They are able to control the viscosity of dispersions, and thus faciHtate transport in pipe systems (413). Eatty acid derivatives of PEI are even able to control the viscosity of pigment dispersions (414). The high nitrogen content of PEIs has a flame-retardant effect. This property is used, in combination with phosphoms compounds, for providing wood panels (415), ceUulose (416), or polymer blends (417,418) with a flame-retardant finish. 

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