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Reactively and physically compatibilized immiscible polymer blends: stability of the copolymer at the interface
Author(s) -
Harrats Charef,
Dedecker Kristof,
Groeninckx Gabriel,
Jérôme Robert
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200350816
Subject(s) - copolymer , materials science , compatibilization , polymer blend , maleic anhydride , polystyrene , polybutadiene , polymer chemistry , glycidyl methacrylate , polymer , polypropylene , composite material , coalescence (physics) , miscibility , chemical engineering , physics , astrobiology , engineering
This paper reports on the interfacial behaviour of block and graft copolymers used as compatibilizers in immiscible polymer blends. A limited residence time of the copolymer at the interface has been shown in both reactive blending and blend compatibilization by preformed copolymers. Polystyrene (PS)/polyamide6 (PA6), polyphenylene oxide (PPO)/PA6 and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/PA6 blends have been reactively compatibilized by a styrene‐maleic anhydride copolymer SMA. The extent of miscibility of SMA with PS, PPO and PMMA is a key criterion for the stability of the graft copolymer at the interface. For the first 10 to 15 minutes of mixing, the in situ formed copolymer is able to decrease the particle size of the dispersed phase and to prevent it from coalescencing. However, upon increasing mixing time, the copolymer leaves the interface which results in phase coalescence. In PS/LDPE blends compatibilized by preformed PS/hydrogenated polybutadiene (hPB) block copolymers, a tapered diblock stabilizes efficiently a co‐continuous two‐phase morphology, in contrast to a triblock copolymer that was unable to prevent phase coarsening during annealing at 180°C for 150 minutes.