Morphology Development in Immiscible Polymer Blends

Polymer Morphology Principles, Characterization, and Processing, First Edition. Edited by Qipeng Guo. 2016 John Wiley Sons, Inc. Published 2016 by John Wiley Sons, Inc. 

In the present chapter, the morphology development of immiscible binary polymer blends is discussed. First, morphology development in droplet-matrix structures is described. Subsequently, the dynamics of fibrillar structures is reviewed and finally cocontinuous structures are briefly discussed. Although the main aspects of polymer blending are well established and polymer blends are already widely used in commercial products, recent novel insights in the areas of miniaturization and particle stabilization have opened new research topics in the area of polymer blending. In the last part of this chapter, these recent advances in polymer blend systems are briefly discussed. 

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Van Puyvelde Peter, and Moldenaers Paula. Rheology and morphology development in immiscible polymer blends. Rheol. Rev. (2005) 101-145. 

Recently, much attention has been paid to the possibility of controlling morphology development in immiscible polymer blends by the addition of interfacially active nanoparticles. In fact, it was found that some nanoparticles could refine and stabilize the morphology, whereas the addition of others leads to an increase in the dispersed particle size [162]. Generally, the optimization of this approach seems to be much more difficult compared to the incorporation of block or graft copolymers. One probable reason for this is that the polymer-filler interactions at the interface are weaker than in the case of copolymers anchored in the respective polymer phases. A critical comprehensive review on this topic was produced by Fenouillot et al. [163]. 

A droplet-in-matrix phase morphology developed in immiscible polymer blends depends on the viscoelastic properties and composition of the two components of the blend in the melt state. The rheological formalism used for the non-Newtonian phases as polymer melts follows, with adjustment of the... 

Joshi AS, Zumbrunnen DA. Computational clarifications of experimental blend morphology development in immiscible polymer melts organized by chaotic advection. Chem Eng Commun 2006 193 765-81. 

Process of modification of the interphase in immiscible polymer blends, resulting in reduction of the interfacial energy, development and stabilization of the desired morphology, leading to the creation of a polymer alloys with enhanced performance. 

Kontopoulou, M., Liu, Y, Austin, J. R., and Parent, J. S. 2007. The dynamics of montmorillonite clay dispersion and morphology development in immiscible ethylene-propylene rubber/polypropylene blends. Polymer 48 4520-4528. 

Interphase a nominal third phase in binary polymer alloys, engendered by interdiffusion or compatibilization at the interfaces between the two polymer domains. The interphase thickness A/ varies between 1 and 60 nm depending on polymers miscibility and compatibilization Compatibilization process of modification of the interphase in immiscible polymer blends, resulting in reduction of the interfacial energy, development, and stabilization of a desired morphology, leading to the creation of a polymer alloy with enhanced performance ... 

Reactive blending is an important technique which is very frequently used for control of the phase morphology, phase stabilization and interfacial adhesion in multiphase immiscible polymer blends. Recently a lot of attention has been focused on the reactive blending process in order to understand how phase morphology develops in reactively compatibilized blends. The stability of the in situ formed copol3aner at the interface and its influence on phase morphology generation, phase co-continuity and on the crystallization behavior of the ciystallizable component(s) are crucial aspects with respect to the blend material properties. 

Macosko CW. Morphology development and control in immiscible polymer blends. Macromol Symp 2000 149 171-84. 

FenouiUot, F, Cassagnau, P, and Majesty J. 2009. Uneven distribution of nanoparticles in immiscible fluids Morphology development in polymer blends. Polymer 50 1333-1350. 

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