MODEL FILLED POLYMERS .15. THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS AND MATRIX MOLECULAR-WEIGHT ON RHEOLOGY

In order to explore the effects of chemical composition on the theological behavior of filled polymeric systems, we prepared polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles crosslinked with either ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) or divinyl benzene (DVB), and mixed these particles in a PMMA matrix. PS particles crosslinked with 10% EGDMA are better dispersed in a PMMA matrix, compared to PS particles, crosslinked with 10% DVB, due to the compatibilizing effect of EGDMA. For PMMA particles crosslinked with DVB, particle-matrix interactions in a PMMA matrix are smaller than in EGDMA-PMMA filled PMMA. Therefore, particles tend to agglomerate in PMMA composites filled with DVB-PMMA particles, especially in a low molecular weight matrix. We com pared PMMA matrices of molecular weights 35,000 and 75,000. Higher particle-matrix interaction in the higher molecular weight matrix resulted in lower relative viscosities for DVB-PS filled systems, due to better dispersion of the particles. Composites filled with EGDMA-PS particles behave similarly to those filled with DVB-PS particles. PMMA composites filled with DVB-PMMA particles have a lower relative viscosity in the higher molecular weight PMMA matrix at low shear rates, due to better dispersion in the higher molecular weight matrix. However at high shear rates, particles are well dispersed in both PMMA matrices and, then, the relative viscosity is higher due to better bonding in the higher molecular weight matrix.