Capillary-driven percolating networks in ternary blends of immiscible polymers and silica particles

摘要: We investigate the structure and rheology of a melt-blended ternary system composed continuous polymer phase, silica particles in few-micron size range, small amount second immiscible phase which preferentially wets particles. The morphology is found to consist volume-spanning “pendular network” bridged by menisci wetting polymer, as well “capillary aggregates” are large compact particle aggregates saturated polymer. blends have strongly non-Newtonian melt due pendular network. relative extent capillary aggregation depends on melt-blending history, rheological properties can be used track changes blend structure. network seen at loading only 10 vol.%, demonstrating that bridging lowers percolation threshold particle-filled