EVALUATION OF THE INTERFACIAL-TENSION BETWEEN HIGH-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT POLYCARBONATE AND PMMA RESINS WITH THE IMBEDDED FIBER RETRACTION TECHNIQUE

The interfacial tension between molten, high molecular weight samples of polycarbonate and poly(methyl methacrylate) was measured using the imbedded fiber retraction (IFR) technique. A value of 1.44 +/- 0.16 dyn/cm was measured at 240-degrees-C. This value was obtained on commercial resins with zero-shear bulk viscosities and at a temperature typically encountered in the processing of blends and/or composites. Refinements to the IFR method were implemented which reduced the experimentation time. Consequently, measurements of the interfacial tension can now be routinely obtained in several hours for materials with zero-shear bulk viscosities on the order of 10(4) Pa s.