Critical experimental comparison between five techniques for the determination of interfacial tension in polymer blends: Model system of polystyrene/polyamide-6

A critical review and experimental comparison between different techniques for the determination of interfacial tension are presented for a model poly mer pair. Five experimental methods were applied to measure the interfacial tension for the model pair of polystyrene (PS) and polyamide-6 (PA-6) at t he same temperature. The techniques include three dynamic methods (the brea king thread method, the imbedded fiber retraction method, and the retractio n of deformed drop method), one equilibrium method (the pendant drop method ), and a rheological method based on linear viscoelastic measurements. The advantages, the limitations, and the difficulties of each technique are dis cussed and compared.