- Previous Article
- Next Article
- Table of Contents
Polymer, Vol.40, No.8, 2175-2178, 1999
Co-continuous morphologies in polymer blends : stability
A critical volume fraction of the minor component within the major component can be distinguished above which the co-continuous morphology in a polymer blend remains stable during annealing of the blend. Below this volume fraction breakup leads to a transition of the co-continuous structure to a dispersed one. This critical composition can be understood by depicting the co-continuous structure as an assembly of fibers randomly oriented at their maximum packing density. These fibres have 'coalesced' at their cross-over points. The length of the filament between two cross-over points decreases with increasing volume fraction of the minor phase. At a certain length the dominant wavelength of the sinusoidal disturbances is larger than the length between two cross-over points and the disturbances will not grow further. Consequently, the filament cannot break up. The critical volume fraction above which breakup of the co-continuous structure during annealing is not possible, is found to be around 30 vol% of the minor phase.