MOLECULAR-WEIGHT DEPENDENCE OF MOBILITY IN POLYMER BLENDS

The molecular weight dependence of mobility in polystyrene/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends (PS/PVME), in polybutadiene/styrene-butadiene random copolymer (PB/SBR) blends and in polyisoprene/styrene-butadiene random copolymer (PI/SBR) blends has been studied by time resolved light scattering. In the case of PS/PVME, blend samples were quenched from an initial equilibrium temperature, close to the critical temperature, to a final temperature which is deeper in the miscible region. The decay of concentration fluctuations was measured, and the interdiffusion coefficient was deduced, then mobilities were calculated. In the PB/SBR and PI/SBR blends, samples were homogenized by uniaxial compression and interdiffusion coefficients were obtained through time resolved light scattering measurement in the early stage of spinodal decomposition. Mobility was related to the ratio of the interdiffusion coefficient and q(m)2 (0), with q(m)(0) as the peak position which corresponds to the dominant mode of concentration fluctuations in the early stage of spinodal decomposition. It is clear from our results that mobility can be represented by the vacancy model at lower molecular weights but shows deviation towards the incompressible model at higher molecular weights. The converse can also be said. The overall molecular weight dependence of the mobility can be well represented by the Akcasu-Naegele-Klein equation.