Macromolecules, Vol.31, No.12, 3974-3984, 1998
Droplet deformation and structure formation in two-phase polymer/polymer/toluene mixtures in an electric field
Droplet deformation and the development of the final morphology after solvent evaporation were studied in two-phase ternary polymer/polymer/solvent mixtures in an electric field. The polymer mixtures used included polystyrene (PS) with such other polymers as poly(vinyl acetate) (PVA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), or polybutadiene (PB) in toluene as a solvent. In a de field, the dispersed phases were distorted into ellipsoids with their major axes either parallel (prolate ellipsoids) or perpendicular (oblate ellipsoids) to the field direction, and/or they aligned in the field direction to form pearl chains. Droplets of the dispersed phases sometimes coalesced to form columns either parallel or perpendicular to the electric field direction. Sometimes the droplets or columns broke up into smaller droplets in the de field. The final morphology usually contained spheres or prolate or oblate ellipsoids either randomly distributed in the matrix or in the form of pearl chains or columns. It was found that the conductivity ratio between the dispersed and continuous phases is extremely important in structure formation in these nonconducting systems.
Keywords:BLOCK-COPOLYMER MICROSTRUCTURE;POLYMER BLENDS;VISCOUS MEDIA;MORPHOLOGY;PARTICLES;ALIGNMENT;BEHAVIOR;PMMA