Polymer mixtures or blends

The different phase behaviours which are realised with representative molecular architectures are shown in Fig. 8.5 (a) to (c). Such mixtures produce solid polymeric structures such as films and membranes with distinctive morphologies. 

Rgure 8.5 Representative polymer-polymer phase behaviour with different molecular architectures. Microphase separation (a) results when thermodynamically incompatible linear homopolymers are mixed. The covalent bond between blocks in a diblock copolymer leads to microphase segregation (c). A mixed architecture of linear homopolymers and the corresponding diblock copolymer produces a surfactant-like stabilized intermediate-scale phase separation (b). 

Rgure 8.6 Representation of the variety of polymer morphologies in solution and in the gel (or microgel) or solid states. In solution the conformation of the polymer depends on the nature of polymer-solvent interactions and whether or not the polymer chains associate to form micellar aggregates. Crystals of polymer and microcrystals can be prepared, and gels can be formed from covalently crosslinked or polymer chains associated by hydrogen bonding or hydrophobic interactions. Listed are the forms in which most polymers can be fabricated membranes, fibres, composites, matrices microspheres and microcapsules can also feature, as discussed later in this chapter. 

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Beginning in 1987, we and our co-workers have extended and widely applied the RISM concepts to the case of flexible polymer solutions and melts, polymer mixtures or blends, and block copolymers. We generically refer to this work as polymer RISM, or PRISM, theory. The connection of the elementary aspects of PRISM theory with the quantum electron work has been discussed. ... 

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