Phase Separation in Filled Polymer Blends.

The peculiarities of the phase state and phase separation in filled polymer blends are considered on the basis of experimental data. It was established that the phase behavior of the filled blends is determined by the formation at the interface with solid of the surface layers of both components. The composition of these layers differs from that in bulk due to surface segregation and adsorption in the filled melt. In the surface layers the thermodynamic parameters of the interaction between two polymers are changed. The factors leading to the change in the position and shape of the phase diagrams of filled blends are discussed. It is shown that dynamics of the phase separation in filled blends is determined by the loss of the molecular mobility of the chains of both components in the surface layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]