Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, Vol.36, No.17, 3115-3125, 1998
Interfacial thickness in bilayers of poly(phenylene oxide) and styrenic copolymers
Estimates for the thickness of the interface between poly (2,6-dimethyl-1, 4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) and copolymers of styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) based on the theory of Helfand and Tagami are compared to neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements. Good agreement is found between the NR measurements and theoretical predictions that make use of a mean field binary interaction model and previously reported binary interaction energies. The techniques outlined in this work may be used to understand relationships between the mechanical properties of multiphase polymer blends and the fundamental thermodynamics of polymer interactions.
Keywords:POLYMER-POLYMER INTERFACES, MOLECULAR-WEIGHT DEPENDENCE, PHASE-BEHAVIOR, POLY(2;6-DIMETHYL-1;4-PHENYLENE OXIDE), POLY(2;6-DIMETHYLPHENYLENE OXIDE), POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE);ACRYLONITRILE COPOLYMERS, TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE, INTERACTIONPARAMETERS, NEUTRON REFLECTION