INTERFACIAL ACTIVITY OF A POLY(STYRENE-G-ETHYLENE OXIDE) COPOLYMER INIMMISCIBLE POLYMER BLENDS

The interfacial activity of a comblike poly(styrene-g-ethylene oxide) copolymer is studied in different immiscible polymer blends. The misci bility of the backbone and branches of the copolymer in the blend comp onents is varied. The blend components investigated are polystyrene/po ly(ethylene oxide), polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate), and poly(ph enylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate). Results from scanning electr on microscopy, SEM, dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, DMTA, and differe ntial scanning calorimetry, DSC, show that small amounts of copolymer locate at the interfaces between the blend components and increase the interfacial area. The effect is obvious when there are interactions b etween both of the blend components and the backbone and branches of t he copolymer.