A Wilkinson Multiphase Polymers and Nanocomposites Coursework 2019

Submit your answers to Blackboard as a single PDF document by 14.00 on Wednesday the 6th of March

1) Draw a schematic phase diagram for a bicomponent polymer blend and explain, with the aid of
other diagrams where appropriate, the phase separation mechanisms (if any) that occur in the three
regions of the phase diagram. (marks 10)

2) For a 50:50 blend of polymer A (Tg = 140 °C) and polymer B (Tg = 100 °C) answer the following:
(a) Calculate the Tg of the blend if it is miscible; (marks 2)
(b) If the blend is immiscible, and the Tg of the A-dominated phase is 138 °C and the Tg of the B-
dominated phase is 102.7 °C, rearrange the Fox equation (showing your working) to allow you to
calculate the AB composition of each phase. (marks 8)

3) In melt mixing of a binary polymer blend within a twin-screw extruder, both components enter the
extruder as pellets and exit the extruder as a fine µm-scale dispersion of one component in a matrix
of the other. Describe, with the aid of diagrams, how this occurs. (marks 10)

4)
(a) How can a polymer blend be ‘tailored’ to meet a customer’s specification? (marks 5)
(b) Propose TWO ways in which blending with another polymer could improve the barrier properties
of polyethylene towards petrol diffusion. (marks 5)