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To study the phase size/interfacial tension relationship for LLDPE/PVC blends over a wide range, three modifiers of widely varying efficacy were chosen based on a cursory analysis of their acid−base interactions with the blend system. The modifiers used were poly(isoprene−4-vinylpyridine) (PIP−P4VP), poly(styrene−acrylic acid) (PS−PAA), and a hydroxyl-terminated polystyrene (PS−Si(CH3)2OH). The ternary blend systems were rigorously characterized by tracking both interfacial tension and dispersed phase morphology evolution as a function of percent interfacial modifier. The interfacial tension was measured using the breaking thread technique, and the blends for morphology examination were prepared on a Brabender mixer, a predominantly shear mixing device. Both the interfacial tension and the morphology studies confirm that the best modifier was the PIP−P4VP followed by PS−Si(CH3)2OH, and the PS−PAA copolymer did not have any influence on the system whatsoever. The area occupied per molecule at the PVC/LLDPE interface estimated from the emulsification curve (morphology data) for the poly(isoprene−4-vinylpyridine) is approximately 6 nm2 per molecule. It is shown that PVC/LLDPE, due to the low interfacial tension of the unmodified blend, represents a case where the dynamic coalescence contribution to morphology development is essentially negligible. This has allowed the relationship between morphology and interfacial tension to be studied in a direct fashion. A comparison of the limiting values of morphology and interfacial tension, in the presence of the modifiers, compared to the unmodified system unambiguously indicates a close 1:1 relationship between the two in the absence of coalescence effects. This direct dependence between dispersed phase size and interfacial tension is observed for all three systems and is independent of the relative efficacy of the modifier itself. These results demonstrate a direct experimental confirmation of the interfacial tension/phase size relationship as predicted by Taylor theory.

In multiple attribute decision making (MADM), strategic weight manipulation is understood as a deliberate manipulation of attribute weight setting to achieve a desired ranking of alternatives. In this paper, we study the strategic weight manipulation in a group decision making (GDM) context with interval attribute weight information. In GDM, the revision of the decision makers' original attribute weight information implies a cost. Driven by a desire to minimize the cost, we propose the minimum cost strategic weight manipulation model, which is achieved via optimization approach, with the mixed 0-1 linear programming model being proved appropriate in this context. Meanwhile, some desired properties to manipulate a strategic attribute weight based on the ranking range under interval attribute weight information are proposed. Finally, numerical analysis and simulation experiments are provided with a twofold aim: 1) to verify the validity of the proposed models and 2) to show the effects of interval attribute weights information and the unit cost, respectively, on the cost to manipulate strategic weights in the MADM in a group decision context.

Please cite this article in press as: Y. Dong, et al., Consensus building in multiperson decision making with heterogeneous preference representation structures: A perspective based on prospect theory, Appl. Soft Comput. J. (2015), http://dx.