PHASE-SEPARATION IN COMPOSITIONS ON THE B ASIS OF POLYTRICHLORBUTADIENE AND POLYSTYRENE

Phase separation in interpolymers on the basis of poly(trichlorobutadi ene) and polystyrene with a small number of cross-links between unlike molecules was studied. An analysis of dynamic mechanical spectra and of the micrographs, obtained using electron microscopy, showed that, i n contrast to random copolymers, which are homogeneous, the structure of interpolymers is inhomogeneous. The scale of this inhomogeneity is, however, much smaller than in the blends, in which a strongly inhomog eneous ''coarse'' two-phase structure is realized. It was found that s pecific interactions and scarce chemical cross-links between unlike ma cromolecules affect the compatibility of the components. It was demons trated that the glass transition temperature T(g) of the polystyrene p hase of the interpolymer is higher than the glass transition temperatu re of pure polystyrene. A mechanism is proposed which explains this in crease. The relation between the structure of the considered polymer C ompositions and their mechanical characteristics is discussed.