Macromolecules, Vol.29, No.11, 4134-4141, 1996
Early-Stage Spinodal Decomposition in Ternary Blends Composed of a Random Copolymer and Homopolymers
The Cahn-Hilliard-Cook (CHC) theory for ternary blends composed of an A-B random copolymer (A-r-B), an A homopolymer, and a B homopolymer is presented to investigate the dynamics of early-stage spinodal decomposition (SD). The cases for both fast theory and slow theory have been formulated. The time dependence of the structure factor of a ternary mixture is explored in the case when the mixture is quenched into both three-phase and two-phase regions. The time dependence of the structure factors of homopolymers A and B in the ternary blend is similar to those of binary homopolymer blends composed of A and B. The characteristic parameters of early-stage spinodal decomposition are formulated.
Keywords:POLYMER BLENDS;PHASE-EQUILIBRIA;BLOCK-COPOLYMER;MIXTURES;DYNAMICS;DIFFUSION;INTERDIFFUSION;FLUCTUATIONS;SURFACTANT;SCATTERING