Phase Morphology in Immiscible Binary Polymer Blends

Clearly, the level of interfacial tension between two polymer melts expressed in Table 5.6 correlates with the difference in their Hildebrand solubility parameters [3]. 

More recent studies have sought more sophisticated interpretations of interfacial tensions between ordinary liquids and between polymer melts. They have sought to associate this with both polar and dispersion (non-polar) forces in individual molecules of the two phases. Wu [68] has proposed the expression 

Ihm and White [60] have sought to apply Eq. 5.22 to polyethylene and poly(ethylene terephthalate). They suggest for polyethylene 

The interfacial tension estimated by Him and White [60] was 8.7 dynes/cm, which compares to the experimental value of 9.3 dynes/cm. 

8 Phase Morphology in Immiscible Binary Polymer Blends 

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