Properties of Miscible Polymer Blends.
Abstract
The physical properties of a variety of miscible and partially miscible binary polymer blends were evaluated. Where possible, these properties were related to the intermolecular interactions responsible for blend miscibility. The properties of the miscible blends examined were found to be more strongly influenced by the blend composition and the inherent properties of the blend components than by the nature of the intermolecular interactions. For example, miscible polycarbonate/copolyester blends were found to thermally embrittle due to molecular relaxations when annealed for extended periods below the blend Tg; a phenomenon which is also observed for both pure components. For this same system, we have also demonstrated that the rate of hydrolysis of the polycarbonate component in the blend is substantially the same as is observed for pure polycarbonate. The inherently more stable polyester component can be used to produce blends with improved stability relative to polycarbonate. A new thermodynamic model has been developed which shows promise for understanding and predicting polymer-polymer miscibility and the miscibility window that is often observed when copolymers with varying monomer contents are mixed with the outer blend component. Several experimental blend systems, including poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) / poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile), poly(vinyl chloride) / aliphatic polyesters, Phenoxy / aliphatic polyesters, and the newly discovered poly(epichlorohydrin) blends with acrylates and methacrylates have been prepared and analyzed in terms of this model.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA147090
Entities
People
- D. R. Paul
- J. W. Barlow
Organizations
- University of Texas at Austin