SMALL-ANGLE NEUTRON-SCATTERING STUDIES OF PHASE-EQUILIBRIA IN BLENDS OF DEUTERATED POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) WITH SOLUTION CHLORINATED POLYETHYLENE

Blends of deuterated poly(methyl methacrylate) with solution chlorinated polyethylene have been studied by small angle neutron scattering. The effects of varying molecular weight and chlorination level have been ascertained on the polymer-polymer interaction parameters obtained as well as on the position of the spinodal curves. The blend was studied both in the one-phase and in the two-phase regions of the phase diagram. For the dPMMA-rich compositions the phase separation mechanism appeared to be spinodal decomposition. For compositions rich in SCPE the mechanism of phase separation was nucleation and growth. For certain compositions evidence has been found for incompatibility in the polymer-polymer system arising from the sample preparation.