Abstract
The coalescence behavior of immiscible blends was determined by annealing in the melt without applying shear. The kinetics and the process of coalescence were observed for blends of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polyolefins. Two different types of measurements were used to observe coalescence in quiescent melt at processing temperature. On one hand, the blends granules were annealed in bulk in a metal bath. The resulting particles sizes were determined by light microscopy and by SEM on particles separated from the blend. On the other hand, thin sections of the samples were annealed on a hot stage. Coalescence was observed in situ using a light microscope or by static laser light scattering. It was observed that the higher viscosity ratio between polyethylene and TPU leads to a more pronounced coarsening of the morphology of 80/20 blends than in TPU/polypropylene. It was shown that the process of reshaping coalescence is one mechanism of coalescence that takes place in quiescent melt. Another mechanism that was observed directly is a `domino effect' in which one coalescence process causes the next one.
| Original language | English (US) |
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| Title of host publication | Technical Papers, Regional Technical Conference - Society of Plastics Engineers |
| Editors | Anon |
| Publisher | Soc Plast Eng |
| Pages | 509-544 |
| Number of pages | 36 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1997 |
| Event | Proceedings of the 1997 International Symposium on Polymer Blends, Alloys and Filled Systems, POLYBLENDS - Boucherville, Can Duration: Oct 9 1997 → Oct 10 1997 |
Other
| Other | Proceedings of the 1997 International Symposium on Polymer Blends, Alloys and Filled Systems, POLYBLENDS |
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| City | Boucherville, Can |
| Period | 10/9/97 → 10/10/97 |