The influence of a poly(styrene-graft-ethylene oxide) (P(S-g-EO)) copo
lymer on poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phenylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate
) (PPO/PMMA) blends was studied by a number of different techniques in
order to characterize the properties of the interphase. Scanning elec
tron microscopy shows that the copolymer reduces the dispersed phase s
ize, and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS) reveals a new micromech
anical transition in the ternary blends. These effects are shown to be
caused by a copolymer-rich interphase with a certain volume fraction
and with its own characteristic properties. Solid-state nuclear magnet
ic resonance (NMR) relaxation times indicate that the poly(ethylene ox
ide) side chains of the copolymer are partially miscible with PMMA in
the ternary blends, which suggests that the interphase does not only c
onsist of pure copolymer.