STUDY ON THE MORPHOLOGY OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE/POLYSTYRENE BLENDS BY ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS*

The morphology of polyvinyl chloride/polystyrene (PVC/PS) blend samples with different mass ratios, preparedby means of solution casting and melt mixing, have been successfully examined by electron microprobe analysis (EMP). Thisexperiment was performed in a scanning electron microscope attached to an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer. Differentialscanning calorimetry was also used to investigate the phase separation of the blends. The results show that PVC and PS areincompatible and the blends have sea-islands phase structures. Blends prepared via melt mixing have finer phase-dispersionthan those prepared via solution casting.