Miscibility of chlorinated polymers with epoxidized natural rubber II. Blends with chlorinated polypropylene and with poly(vinylidene chloride-alkyl acrylate) copolymer

The compatibility of epoxidized natural rubber (at the 50 mol-% oxirane level) (ENR) with chlorinated polypropylene (CPP) and a poly(vinylidene chloride) copolymer (PVDCC) was investigated in the complete composition range. Phase-contrast microscopy revealed microheterogeneities attributed to the existence of gel particles in the solution-cast films. A more uniform phase distribution was obtained in hotpressed films. Dynamic mechanical spectroscopy and DSC results indicated that both systems are miscible at the segmental level. Ultimate elongation increases at significant (>50 wt.-%) ENR levels. The blend modulus dependence on composition supports the view that synergistic effects are present. These can be explained by postulating the existence of intermolecular interactions predicted using suitable models proposed to interpret the compositional variation of T_g.     

Miscibility of poly(caprolactone)/chlorinated polypropylene and poly(caprolactone)/poly(chlorostyrene) blends

Poly(caprolactone) (PCL) was blended with poly(chlorostyrene) (PSCI) and chlorinated polypropylene (PPCl). A single glass transition temperature T_g was found for these mixtures, indicating their miscibility. PCL crystallizes in these blends when the chlorinated polymer content is not too high. Otherwise, T_g becomes higher than the melting point of PCL and the high viscosity of the medium hinders the crystallization. The miscibility of PCL/PPCI blends cannot be due to hydrogen bonding between the α-hydrogens of the chlorinated polymer and the carbonyl group of the polyester since PPCI does not have available a large number of α-hydrogens. It is suggested that a dipoledipole ? C?O…Cl? C? interaction is responsible for the observed miscibility phenomenon and that this interaction is probably also responsible for the miscibility between all other polyesterchlorinated polymer mixtures. Finally, it was observed that poly(α-methyl-α-n-propyl-β-propiolactone), poly(α-methyl-α-ethyl-β-propiolactone) and poly(valerolactone) are not miscible with PSCI or PPCl, despite the fact that they are miscible with poly(vinyl chloride).     

Miscibility in poly(vinyl chloride)/chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) blends,and blends of different chlorinated poly(vinyl chlorides)

Blends of poly(vinyl chloride) with chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and blends of different chlorinated poly(vinyl chlorides) (CPVC) provide an opportunity to examine systematically the effect that small changes in chemical structure have on polymer-polymer miscibility. Phase diagrams of PVC/CPVC blends have been determined for CPVC's containing 62 to 38 percent chlorine. The characteristics of binary blends of CPVC's of different chlorine contents have also been examined using differential calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscopy. Their mutual solubility has been found to be very sensitive to their differences in mole percent CCl₂ groups and degree of chlorination. In metastable binary blends of CPVC's possessing single glass transition temperatures (T_g) the rate of phase separation, as followed by DSC, was found to be relatively slow at temperatures 45 to 65° above the T_g of the blend.     

Miscibility of poly(tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate) and poly(tetrahydropyranyl-2-methacrylate) with some chlorine-containing polymers

The miscibility of poly(tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate) (PTHFMA) and poly(tetrahydropyranyl-2-methacrylate) (PTHPMA) with some chlorine-containing polymers was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). PTHPMA was found to be miscible with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyepichlorohydrin (PECH), and a vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer [P (VDC/VC)] and only partially miscible with an epichlorohydrin/ethylene oxide copolymer [P (ECH/EO)]. PTHFMA was shown to be miscible with PECH and P(VDC/VC), but its miscibility with P(ECH/EO) is composition-dependent. Information about interactions between components in PTHFMA/P (VDC/VC) and PTHPMA/P(VDC/VC) blends was estimated from melting-point depression. The interaction parameters B were found to be ?1.7 and ?3.6 J/cm³ for PTHFMA/P(VDC/VC) and PTHPMA/P(VDC/VC) blend systems, respectively. The miscibility behavior of PTHFMA and PTHPMA is compared to that of poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate).     

Miscibility of blends of epoxidized natural rubber and poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid)

The blends of epoxidized natural rubber (50 mol %) (ENR) and poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (PEA) (6 wt %) are demonstrated to be partially miscible up to 50% by weight of PEA and completely miscible beyond this proportion. The miscibility has been confirmed by a DSC study which exhibits a single second-order transition (T_g) for the 30 : 70 and 50 : 50 (ENR : PEA) blends. For the 70 : 30 (ENR : PEA) blend, the T_g's shift toward an intermediate value but do not merge to form a single T_g, making the blend partially miscible. The miscibility has been assigned to the esterification reaction between – OH groups formed in situ during melt blending of ENR and – COOH groups of PEA. The occurrence of such reactions have been confirmed by UV and IR spectroscopic studies. The existence of a single phase of the blends beyond 50 wt % of PEA has been shown by SEM studies. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Miscibility of some hydroxyl-containing polymers with poly(acetonyl methacrylate), poly(tetrahydropyranyl-2-methacrylate), and poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate)

Poly(tetrahydropyranyl-2-methacrylate) (PTHPMA) was found to be miscible with Poly(vinyl phenol) (PVPH), Poly(hydroxy ether of bisphenol A) (Phenoxy), and Poly(styrene-co-allyl alcohol) (PSAA). However, Poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate) (PCHMA) is immiscible with all these three hydroxyl-containing polymers. Poly(acetonyl methacrylate) (PACMA) was found to be miscible with PVPH but immiscible with Phenoxy and PSAA. Miscible PTHPMA-Phenoxy blends showed lower critical solution temperature behavior.     

Miscibility of poly(p-vinyl phenol) with polymethacrylates

Summary Poly(p-vinyl phenol) is miscible with poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(n-propyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), and poly(tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate), but is immiscible with poly(n-butyl methacrylate). Except for poly(p-vinyl phenol)/ poly(methyl methacrylate) blends, the other miscible blends show pronounced positive deviations in their glass transition temperatures. The T_g-composition curves of the five miscible blend systems can be described by the Gordon-Taylor and the Kwei equations.     

Miscibility of polystyrene with poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(ethylene glycol)

The intrinsic viscosity of polystyrene–poly(ethylene oxide) (PS–PEO) and PS–poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) blends have been measured in benzene as a function of blend composition for various molecular weights of PEO and PEG at 303.15 K. The compatibility of polymer pairs in solution were determined on the basis of the interaction parameter term, Δb, and the difference between the experimental and theoretical weight-average intrinsic viscosities of the two polymers, Δ[η]. The theoretical weight-average intrinsic viscosities were calculated by interpolation of the individual intrinsic viscosities of the blend components. The compatibility data based on [η] determined by a single specific viscosity measurement, as a quick method for the determination of the intrinsic viscosity, were compared with that obtained from [η] determined via the Huggins equation. The effect of molecular weights of the blend components and the polymer structure on the extent of compatibility was studied. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 1471–1482, 1998     

Miscibility of PVC with chlorinated PE and chlorinated PVC

Miscibility of PVC with chlorinated PE and chlorinated PVC was reviewed. The miscible region of chlorine content ranged from 44 wt% to 65 wt%, which was not symmetric to the chlorine content of PVC, 56.7 wt%. Two group contribution methods were used to calculate solubility parameters of polymers. The results of solubility parameters showed a more symmetric miscible region with respect to the value of PVC. However, the ranges of miscibility were different. It was 2.3 (J/cm 3 ) 0.5 in a three-dimensional method and was 1.5 (J/cm 3 ) 0.5 in the Fedors method.     

Miscibility of poly(methoxymethyl methacrylate) and poly(methylthiomethyl methacrylate) with poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Summary The miscibility behaviour of poly(methoxymethyl methacrylate) (PMOMA) and poly(methylthiomethyl methacrylate) (PMTMA) with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was examined by differential scanning calorimetry. PMOMA/PVDF blend system was judged to be miscible on the bases of the presence of a single, composition-dependent glass transition for the blend and a pronounced melting point depression of the PVDF component. Furthermore, lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behaviour was observed for all PMOMA/PVDF blends. PMTMA/PVDF blends were found to be immiscible. Based on the melting point depression of PVDF in PMOMA/PVDF blends, the interaction parameter B was found to be -14.5 J/cm³.     

Miscibility of poly(methoxymethyl methacrylate) and poly(methylthiomethyl methacrylate) with poly(methyl methacrylate)

Summary Poly(n-propyl methacrylate) is known to be immiscible with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). However, we have found that poly(methoxymethyl methacrylate) is miscible with PMMA, indicating the importance of ether oxygen atoms in achieving miscibility. On the other hand, poly(methylthiomethyl methacrylate) is immiscible with PMMA.     

Miscibility of poly(methoxymethyl methacrylate) and poly(methylthiomethyl methacrylate) with poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) and poly(p-methylstyrene-co-acrylonitrile)

The miscibility of poly(methoxymethyl methacrylate) (PMOMA) and poly(methylthiomethyl methacrylate) (PMTMA) with poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) and poly(p-methylstyrene-co-acrylonitrile) (pMSAN) was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. PMOMA is miscible with SAN having an acrylonitrile (AN) content around 30 wt %. However, PMOMA is immiscible with any of the pMSAN having AN contents between 9 and 36 wt % and with pMSAN having AN contents between 19 and 34 wt %. The miscibility of the blends enables the evaluation of various segmental interaction parameters.     

Miscibility behavior of blends of poly(alkyl methacrylate)s with poly(p-methylstyrene-co-methacrylonitrile)

The miscibility behavior of various poly(p-methylstyrene-co-methacrylonitrile) (pMSMAN)/poly(alkyl methacrylate)s blends was studied using differential scanning calorimetry. pMSMAN is miscible with poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(n-propyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) over certain copolymer composition ranges, but is immiscible with poly(isobutyl methacrylate) and poly(n-amyl methacrylate). The width of the miscibility window decreases with increasing size of the pendant ester group of the poly(alkyl methacrylate), and is wider than that of the corresponding poly(p-methylstyrene-co-acrylonitrile) blend system. Various segmental interaction parameters are calculated using a binary interaction model. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Miscibility of polycarbonate with poly(methyl methacrylate-co-cyclohexyl methacrylate)

Summary Miscibility of bisphenol-A polycarbonate, PC, with methyl methacrylate/cyclohexyl methacrylate, PMCHM, copolymers were examined by glass transition temperature and lower critical solution temperature, LCST, behavior. PMCHM copolymers were found to be miscible with PC at levels of below 4% or less of CHM in weight. Relatively small amount of the comonomer markedly raised phase separation temperature on heating. This result can be rationalized by intramolecular repulsion effect reported earlier.     

Novel ionomers based on blends of ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers with poly(vinyl amine)

The polymerization of N-vinyl formamide followed by hydrolysis yields a linear, water-soluble poly(vinyl amine). The high concentration of pendant primary amine groups leads to a polymer with an interesting set of properties. Complexation with water-soluble anionic polyelectrolytes in water solutions leads to a highly water-insoluble material. The study described herein investigated the phase behavior/properties of melt blends of poly(vinyl amine) with ethylene-acrylic acid (EAA) copolymers of less than 10 wt % acrylic acid. The calorimetric and dynamic mechanical analyses of the resultant blends show that the vinyl amine groups are accessible to the acrylic acid groups of the copolymers and the major property changes occur up to the stoichiometric addition of vinyl amine/acrylic acid. At higher levels of vinyl amine (vinyl amine/acrylic acid mol ratio > 4), additional poly(vinyl amine) forms a separate phase. The mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and calorimetric properties of these blends below the stoichiometric ratio show analogous trends as with typical alkali/alkaline metal neutralization. These characteristics relative to the base EAA include improved transparency, lower melting and crystallization temperature, lower level of crystallinity, and increased modulus and strength. The emergence of the β transition in dynamic mechanical testing is pronounced with these blends (as with alkali/alkaline metal neutralization), indicative of microphase separation of the amorphous phase into ionic-rich and ionic-depleted regions. A rubbery modulus plateau for the blends exists above the polyethylene melting point, demonstrating ionic crosslinking. Above 150°C exposure, further modulus increases occur presumably due to amide formation. This study demonstrates that the highly polar poly(vinyl amine) can interact with acrylic acid units in an EAA copolymer comprised predominately of polyethylene (>90 wt %). The thermodynamic driving force favoring ionic association overrides the highly unfavorable difference in composition. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Miscibility of poly (etherimide) and poly (butylene naphthalate) blends

Summary Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to characterize the miscibility of a blend system comprising poly (butylene naphthalate) (PBN) and poly (ether imide) (PEI). DSC scans showed there was only one single Tg for each blend and the glass transitions increase monotonously with the increase of PEI content. The glass transition temperatures of the blends fitted the Fox equation well implying that the blends exhibited fine segmental scale of mixing. No lower critical solution temperature (LCST) was observed by OM for the blends. SEM micrographs showed the fracture surface of quenched sample exhibited a homogeneous structure. No obvious IR peak shift of C=O absorption at 1780 cm⁻¹ was observed suggesting a relatively low level of specific interaction between two molecules. It was concluded that these blends were miscible with non-specific intermolecular interactions. Received: 5 January 2001/Accepted: 27 February 2001