Reactive Compatibilization in Immiscible Polymer Blends

摘要: There has been considerable interest in recent years in the development of novel polymeric materials through blending rather than through development of new chemical structures. Blending may be chosen for several reasons, for example, tailoring properties to meet a specific need or simplifying recycling efforts by reducing separation procedures. Development of useful blends is challenged by the inherent immiscibility of most polymers with one another, which results in coarsely phase separated polymer mixtures in which the interphase interfaces are compositionally sharp and mechanically weak. Recent research efforts have concentrated on microstructural control through reactive compatibilization, a procedure in which functional groups are incorporated onto the polymer chains of the blend components and react during the processing to form copolymers that stabilize the dispersion. While some effort has been directed at understanding the relationship between reactivity and morphology, study of the effects of in-situ copolymer formation on the adhesion of interphase interfaces has been neglected. It is the purpose of this investigation to concentrate on both aspects of reactive compatibilization, morphology refinement and interphase adhesion.