Nanoparticle-arrested phase separation of polymer blends

POSTER

Abstract

Under appropriate conditions, polymer blends undergo demixing by a spinodal decomposition (SD) mechanism, leading to an interpenetrating, bicontinuous morphology with a characteristic wavelength that coarsens over time to reduce interfacial energy. Nanoparticles added to the polymer mixture can segregate to one of the phases or to the interfaces between the phases. Jamming of the nanoparticles within one of the domains or at the interface can arrest this phase separation process, trapping the interpenetrating morphology. We have studied the thermodynamics and kinetics of phase separation of polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PS/PVME) blends in the presence of CdSe nanoparticles and nanorods. For appropriate choices of particle size, shape and ligand coverage, nanoparticles were found to effectively arrest spinodal phase separation in the bicontinuous state.

Authors

  • Le Li

    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • University of Massachusetts-Amherst

  • Xuan Ding

    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Caroline Miesch

    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • University of Massachusetts

  • P.K. Sudeep

    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Todd Emrick

    • Univ. Massachusetts Amherst, Dept. of Polymer Sci. Eng.
    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • University of Massachusetts
    • Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Ryan Hayward

    • University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • UMass Amherst, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering
    • University of Massachusetts - Amherst

  • Thomas Russell

    • University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • Univ. Massachusetts Amherst, Dept. of Polymer Sci. Eng.
    • University of Massachusetts
    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • Department of Polymer Science and Engineering University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • University of Massachusetts, Amherst
    • University of Massuchusetts at Amherst
    • Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst
    • University of Massachusetts-Amherst
    • Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
    • Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts-Amherst