Two kinds of nanoscale dynamic heterogeneity in single‐phase polymer blends and their common origin

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and laser‐interferometric creep rate spectroscopy (CRS) were used for kinetic and discrete analysis of segmental motion within (and close to) glass transition range in polystyrene ‐ poly(α‐methyl styrene) (PS/PMS) and polystyrene ‐ poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PS/PVME) miscible blends. Two kinds of segmental dynamics heterogeneity were found. Separate ‘unfreezing’ of PS and PMS segmental motions was observed that manifested itself in two T_gs and simultaneous large drop in the Tg s, as well as glass transition activation energy, motional event scale and cooperativity degree values, down to the β‐relaxation parameters. The wide activation energy dispersion within a single broad glass transition in PS/PVME blends was found, and this relaxation region was subdivided, by CRS, into several predicted kinds of segmental motion. Both results are treated in the framework of the concept of common segmental nature of α‐ and β‐relaxations in flexible chain polymers.     

Describing the component dynamics in miscible polymer blends: towards a fully predictive model

We have recently proposed [D. Cangialosi et al., J. Chem. Phys. 123, 144908 (2005)] an extension of the Adam-Gibbs [J. Chem. Phys. 43, 139 (1965)] theory, combined with the concept of self-concentration, to describe the temperature dependence of the relaxation time for the component segmental dynamics in miscible polymer blends. Thus, we were able to obtain the dynamics of each component in the blend starting from the knowledge of the dynamic and thermodynamic data of the pure polymers, with a single fitting parameter (alpha) which had to be obtained from the fitting of the experimental data. In the present work we demonstrate that this model is also suitable to describe the polymer segmental dynamics in concentrated polymer solutions. From this result we have developed a new route for determining the value of the alpha parameter associated with any given polymer. Once this value is known for the two components of a possible polymer blend, our model for polymer blends dynamics becomes fully predictive.     

Dynamics of Poly(vinylmethyl ether) Blends with a Strongly Interassociating Copolymer

We apply broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy to probe the dynamics of hydrogen bonded polymer blends. A copolymer consisting of 2,3-dimethylbutadiene (DMB) [86%] and p-(hexafluoro-2-hydroxyl-2-propyl)styrene (HFS) [14%] was synthesized and blended with poly(vinylmethyl ether) (PVME). The copolymer is capable of forming strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds, while minimizing the degree of intramolecular associations, and its blends with PVME are predicted to be miscible over the entire composition range. Two segmental processes, α and α₁, are present in blends containing 26, 50, and 76 weight percent copolymer. The slower process (α₁) is assigned to the segmental motion of the intermolecularly associated copolymer, and the faster process (α) to segmental motions of PVME modified by the HFS:DMB copolymer. A relaxation associated with residual water is present in the glassy state. A local process due to motions of the PVME ether groups (β) is also present in the glassy state, and does not change with blend composition.     

Molecular weight dependence of polystyrene segmental dynamics in dilute blends with poly(vinyl methyl ether)

The segmental dynamics of backbone‐deuterated polystyrenes (d₃PS) with varying molecular weights (1.7–67 kg/mol) have been measured in blends with poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME). ²H NMR T₁ values at 15 and 77 MHz are reported for the pure d₃PS and for the dilute d₃PS component in PVME matrices. The temperature shift that is needed to superpose the NMR T₁ data for the pure d₃PS and the d₃PS as a dilute component in the blend ranges from 45 to 70 K. In the framework of Lodge/McLeish model, the self‐concentration value for d₃PS in these dilute blends with PVME is found to be independent of molecular weight. We thus establish for this system that the substantial influence of molecular weight on the blend segmental dynamics can be explained by homopolymer T_g differences. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2252–2262, 2007     

Molecular dynamics and phase behavior of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blend in the presence of nanosilica

The variation of phase morphology, critical temperature of demixing, and molecular dynamics for polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether)(PS/PVME) blends induced by hydrophilic nanosilica(A200) or hydrophobic nanosilica(R974) was investigated. With the phase separation of blend matrix, A200 migrated into PVME-rich phase due to strong interaction between A200 and PVME, while R974 moved into PS-rich phase. The thermodynamic miscibility and concentration fluctuation during phase separation of blend matrix were remarkably retarded by A200 nanoparticles due to the surface adsorption of PVME on A200, verified by the correlation length ξ near the critical region from rheological measurement and the weakened increment of reversing heat capacity(ΔC_p) during glass transition via modulated differential scanning calorimetry(MDSC). The restricted chain diffusion induced by nanosilica still occurred despite no influence of A200 and R974 on the segmental dynamics of homogenous blend matrix. The interactions between nanosilica and polymer components could restrict the terminal relaxation of blend matrix and further manipulate their phase behavior.     

Static structure factor and chain dimensions in polymer blends with non-local mixing entropy

It is suggested that the non-locality of the entropy part of the interaction parameter in partially miscible blends can be measured directly by scattering experiments. The structure factor computed in the random phase approximation is compared with experiments on weakly crosslinked polystyrene (PS) polyvinylmethylether (PVME) blends. These polymers have significantly different monomer units to form ‘smooth’ (PVME) and ‘rough’ (PS) polymers. An excess scattering is observed and related to the non-locality. It is further shown that these effects are significant near the glass transition of the blend. In particular, the influence of the non-local mixing entropy on the single chain behaviour close to the onset of the microphase separation is studied quantitatively.     

High-temperature fourier transform infrared study of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies of polystyrene (PS)/poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) miscible blends as a function of temperature are presented. Below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) little change is observed in the interaction spectrum obtained via digital subtraction techniques. Once above the LCST, the magnitude of the interaction spectrum decreases as a result of the phase separation process. Comparison of the behavior of the ether C? O stretching band in the reference PVME and in the blends has yielded a lower limit estimate for the interaction energy of about 0.15 kcal/mol.     

Evolution of concentration fluctuation during phase separation of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blend in the presence of nanosilica

The influence of nanosilica on the concentration fluctuation of polystyrene/poly (vinyl methyl ether) (PS/PVME) mixtures was investigated during phase separation. The amplitude of concentration fluctuation was quantified by dielectric spectrums based on the idea of Lodge–Mcleish model and the linearized Cahn–Hilliard theory could describe the amplitude evolution of concentration fluctuation at the early stage of phase separation. Hydrophilic nanosilica A200 dispersed in PVME‐rich phase behaved an obvious inhibition effect on the concentration fluctuation of blend matrix, while hydrophobic nanosilica R974 dispersed in PS‐rich phase had little effect on the concentration fluctuation. The kinetics and amplitude evolution of concentration fluctuation during phase separation for PS/PVME/A200 nanocomposites were remarkably restrained due to the surface adsorption of PVME on A200. As the segmental dynamics of PVME and PS in homogeneous matrix was hardly influenced by A200 and R974, the enhanced miscibility and the significantly constrained flow relaxation of PVME chains might contribute to the retarded concentration fluctuation of PS/PVME/A200 nanocomposites. While the weak interaction between R974 and components of blend matrix and little effect of R974 on the molecular dynamics of PS chains may result in the weak retardation of concentration fluctuation for blend matrix. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1337–1349     

Phase separation of polymer mixtures induced by polarization‐selective chemical reactions: spatial symmetry breaking and mode selection

Phase separation of polystyrene/poly (vinyl methyl ether) (PS/PVME) blends was induced and controlled by irradiation with linearly polarized light. The PS component was made photosensitive by chemically labeled with either anthracene or trans‐stilbene. The former was used to crosslink the PS component whereas the latter induces phase separation by changing polymer segmental volumes. The phase separation and reaction kinetics were observed and discussed in terms of mode‐selection process.     

"Self-concentration" effects on the dynamics of a polychlorinated biphenyl diluted in 1,4-polybutadiene

The mobility of isolated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB54) in 1,4-polybutadiene (PB) has been investigated by means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The aim was to provide new insights about the effect of the environment on the dynamics of PCB54. The authors' results indicate that PCB54 structural dynamics is neither independent of the PB matrix nor slaved to the matrix itself. The authors interpret these results as a consequence of the limited size of cooperatively rearranging regions (CRRs) involved in PCB54 structural relaxation possessing an effective concentration different from the macroscopic one. This implies a non-negligible influence of "self-concentration," already proven for the component segmental dynamics in polymer blends, also in the relaxation of binary mixtures involving low molecular weight glass formers. This allowed the evaluation of the size of CRR, which was about 1 nm for PCB54 in PB. This means that the cooperativity extends over the first shell around PCB54 molecules.     

Photooxidation of blends of polystyrene and poly (vinyl methyl ether)

Photooxidation of blends of polystyrene and poly (vinyl methyl ether) was studied at 30°C. The oxygen uptake by PS was negligible but PVME oxidized readily. The induction period of oxidation of PVME was prolonged by the presence of PS. The steady state rate of oxidation of the blend was strongly influenced by the segmental mobility of the blend which also governed the kinetics and morphology of phase separation. The molecular weight of PVME decreased more slowly in the blend as PS content increased. It was believed that the reaction between PVME radicals and PS resulted in less reactive PS radicals which retarded oxidation. The PS radicals eventually underwent chain scission reactions.     

Blends of poly(vinyl methyl ether) with styrenic copolymers

Blends of poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) with styrene/acrylonitrile (SAN), with styrene/maleic anhydride (SMA), and with styrene/acrylic acid (SAA) copolymers were examined for glass transition and lower critical solution temperature behavior. These copolymers were found to be completely miscible with PVME at levels of 3% or less of AA; below 10–11% AN, and below 15% MA (w%). Small amounts of the comonomers raised the temperature at which blends with PVME undergo phase separation on heating. This effect was greatest in the order AA > AN > MA. An interpretation of these results is given in terms of recent theories for homopolymer-copolymer blends, and the extent to which solubility parameter theory can be useful is considered.     

Modeling of thermodynamic behavior of PVT properties and cloud point temperatures of polymer blends and polymer blend + carbon dioxide systems using non-cubic equations of state

In recent years, many factors influencing phase behavior of polymer blends have been studied because of their widely technological importance, as a simple method of formulating new materials with tailored properties which make them suitable for a variety of applications. This work has three main goals which were reached by using the Perturbed Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) and the Sanchez–Lacombe (SL) non-cubic equations of state (EoS), which in previous works have shown their ability to handle long chain and associating interactions. First, both equations of state were tested with the correlation of the specific volumes of pure blends (PBD/PS, PPO/PS, PVME/PS, PEO/PES) and the prediction of the specific volumes for blends; second, the modeling of blend miscibilities in the liquid–liquid equilibria (LLE) of PBD/PS, PPG/PEGE, PVME/PS, PEO/PES, and PnPMA/PS blends; third, the modeling of the phase behavior of PS/PVME blends at various compositions in the presence of CO₂. PC-SAFT and SL pure-component parameters were regressed by fitting pure-component data of real substances (liquid pressure–volume–temperature, PVT, data for polymers and vapor pressure and saturated liquid molar volume for CO₂) and the fluid phase behavior of blend systems were simulated fitting one binary interaction parameter (k_ij) by regression of experimental data using the modified likelihood maximum method. Results were compared with experimental data obtained from literature and an excellent agreement was obtained with both EoS, which were also capable of predicting the fluid phase behavior corresponding to the critical solution temperatures (LCST: lower critical solution temperature, UCST: upper critical solution temperature) of blends.     

Sorption and diffusion of carbon dioxide in single-phase polystyrene/poly(vinylmethylether) blends

The sorption and transport properties of CO₂ in miscible PS/PVME blends at 20°C are reported as a function of pressure from 1 to 15 atm. The complex shape of isotherms for glassy blends and the concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient for rubbery blends reveal a plasticization by sorbed CO₂. The significant depression in T_g has to be taken into account in the analysis of the sorption data. Diffusion coefficient for CO₂ passes through a minimum when plotted against the blend composition. Such a behavior can be quantitatively related to the negative volume mixing of the PS/PVME system in the framework of the theories based on unoccupied volume. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Phase behavior and photocrosslinking kinetics of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks prepared from miscible polymer blends

Mixtures of polystyrene derivatives (PSCS) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) were made photocrosslinkable by chemically labeling PSCS chains with photoreactive anthracene. Miscibility of these anthracene-labeled PSCS/PVME blends was examined by light scattering under several crosslinking conditions in the one-phase region via photodimerization of anthracenes. As the reaction proceeds, the coexistence curve of PSCS/PVME blends shifts toward the low temperature side. By following the changes in concentration of anthracenes with irradiation time, it was found that the crosslinking reaction of PSCS chains in the blends does not follow the mean-field kinetics. However, it can be well expressed by the Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW) relaxation mechanism, indicating that the crosslinking reaction proceeds inhomogeneously in the blends. By scaling the reaction time with the average reaction rate obtained from the KWW equation modified for the reaction kinetics, all the crosslinking data obtained in the miscible region of the reacted blends fall on a single master curve. These experimental results suggest the universal behavior of the photocrosslinking kinetics obtained under the “shallow quench” conditions in the region far away from the coexistence curve of the reacting blends. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 455–462, 1998     

FT–IR spectroscopic and thermal studies of poly(styrene-co-1-vinyl naphthalene) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends

The FT–IR spectroscopic analysis and the thermal behavior of the blends of styrene-1-vinyl naphthalene copolymers [P(S-co-1VN)] and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) were investigated in this work. The copolymers containing 23, 50, and 80% by weight of styrene were synthesized by radical polymerization. The blend films of the P(S-co-1VN) and PVME were cast from the mixed solvent of benzene/trimethylbenzene [50/50 (v/v)]. It was found from the optical clarity and the glass transition temperature behavior that the blends of PVME with P(S-co-1VN) of 80 wt % styrene and 20 wt % 1-vinylnaphthalene (1VN) show miscibility below 50 wt % of the copolymer concentration and the concentration range to show miscibility becomes wider as the composition of 1VN decreases in the copolymers. From the FT–IR results, the relative peak intensity of the 1100 cm^?1 region due to COCH₃ bond of PVME and the peak position of 774 cm^?1 region due to the naphthyl ring of 1VN were sensitive to the miscibility of the P(S-co-1VN)/PVME blends. The frequency differences of the phenyl ring and the naphthyl ring in the P(S-co-1VN) from each frequency in the P(S-co-1VN)/PVME blends increase with increasing composition of styrene in the copolymers and with increasing concentration of PVME in the blends. A threshold energy exists to induce molecular interaction between the naphthyl ring of 1VN and the COCH₃ of PVME and to result in the miscible blends, regardless of the copolymer composition as well as the blend concentration. The threshold energy was estimated as about 3.689 × 10^?21 cal (779 cm^?1) for the P(S-co-1VN)/PVME blend system. It can be concluded that the miscibility in P(S-co-1VN)/PVME blends is largely affected by the composition of the copolymers, and the blends become more miscible as the composition of styrene in the copolymers increases.     

Combining configurational entropy and self-concentration to describe the component dynamics in miscible polymer blends

We provide a new approach to describe the component segmental dynamics of miscible polymer blends combining the concept of chain connectivity, expressed in terms of the self-concentration, and the Adam-Gibbs model. The results show an excellent agreement between the prediction of our approach and the experimental data. The self-concentrations obtained yield length scales between 1 and 3.2 nm depending on the temperature, the flexibility of the polymer, expressed in terms of the Kuhn segment, and its concentration in the blends, at temperatures above the glass transition range of the blend.     

Dynamic mechanical behavior of poly(vinyl-methyl ether)-poly(styrene) blends

The dynamic mechanical behavior of 10 and 20% poly(vinyl methyl ether)-polystyrene blends has been studied in the frequency range 10^?5 Hz to 5 Hz and temperature range 100–450 K. Isochronal plots of modulus G′ and loss factor, tan ?, show the presence of one relaxation process at temperatures below the transition zone. A second relaxation process at intermediate temperatures but below T_g may be inferred from the breadth of the G″ frequency curves in the transition zone of both blends. This process, at 280 < T < 300 K, is independent of PVME concentration and seems to be associated with the local modes of motions of PS chains. The rheological behavior of the blends shows them to be compatible up to 20% PVME. Their G′ and G″ data cannot be shifted along a frequency axis to produce a satisfactory master curve. The departure from thermorheological simplicity is much more clearly observed in the tan ? than in the modulus-frequency plots. This departure is due to the change in the segmental correlation effects, or length, with temperature near T_g. A molecular model of the growth of microshear domains with hierarchically constrained molecular motions, given elsewhere, quantitatively agrees with the dynamic mechanical behavior.     

Dynamics of a poly(isoprene)/poly(vinyl ethylene) blend revisited: Component polymer relaxation and blend behavior

Motivated by recent molecular dynamics simulation studies of miscible blends of dynamically disparate polymers, we have revisited the experimentally measured dielectric relaxation in a 50/50 blend of poly(isoprene) and poly(vinyl ethylene) (PI/PVE). In contrast to efforts to explain the dielectric loss in PI/PVE blends in terms of a distribution of local environments leading to a broad distribution of segmental relaxation times (the so-called concentration fluctuation model), our analysis indicates that there is no evidence for significant broadening of the relaxation processes in the component polymers upon blending. Rather, we find that the dielectric loss of the 50/50 PI/PVE blend can be represented as a sum of α- and β-relaxation processes for the component polymers represented with Havriliak-Negami functions whose shape and relaxation strength are consistent with those obtained for the pure PI and PVE melts. The α-relaxation process for the PVE component was found to be dramatically influenced by blending, moving to much higher frequency with moderate narrowing, while the α-relaxation process for the PI component shifted to somewhat lower frequency with slight broadening, consistent with our MD simulations of a model blend and 2D NMR measurements on PI/PVE blends. In contrast, the β-processes in the PVE and PI components were found to be essentially uninfluenced by blending, with the latter accounting for the significant high-frequency loss observed in the PI/PVE blend.     

苯乙烯-丁二烯-苯乙烯/聚乙烯基甲基醚共混体系相容性的FT-IR及DSC研究

嵌段高聚物、均聚物共混体系相容性是近年来研究的热点。本工作以光学显微镜、DSC、FT-IR为手段,研究了三嵌段高聚物苯乙烯-丁二烯-苯乙烯(SBS);SBS-48、SBS-30,SBS-28与聚乙烯基甲基醚共混体系的相容性。DSC结果表明,随SBS中PS含量的升高,体系相容性变好,PS段分子量增大,也有助于体系相容。FT-IR结果表明PVME中COCH_3在1100cm~(-1)附近呈现的双峰的相对强度对体系的相容性十分敏感,而由于苯环C—H振动产生的698cm~(-1)峰位却不象PS/PVME体系那样随相容性的改变而有显著的改变。总而言之,嵌段高聚物SBS/均聚物PVME共混体系中,体系的相容性依赖于嵌段高聚物在体系中的组份含量及嵌段高聚物中PS的重量百分含量,PS段分子量的大小对体系相容性也有影响。