Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.50, No.2, 373-383, 2010
Phenomenon of Phase Inversion in High Impact Polystyrene: Physico-Chemical, Rheological and Morphological Study in the Presence of Chain Transfer Agent and Using Different Tapered Block Copolymers as the Precursor Rubber
Different high impact polystyrenes were synthesized using styrene/butadiene copolymers (SB) with PS/PB composition: 30/70 and 20/80 as the precursor rubber, benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as the initiator, and ter-dodecyl mercaptane (TDM) as the chain transfer agent. During the polymerization, several samples were taken and analyzed under different techniques to evaluate the phase inversion (PI) phenomenon. The PI was determined through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and through dynamic oscillatory behavior, where the PI takes places when the relaxation process presents the lower value of activation energy. Finally, the Choi and Schowalter emulsion model was employed to elucidate the PI, and relevant information was revealed about the interfacial tension in the PI. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:373383, 2010. (C) 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers