Nucleation in binary polymer blends: Effects of foreign mesoscopic spherical particles

Abstract

We study nucleation in binary polymer blends in the presence of mesoscopic spherical particles using self-consistent field theory, considering both heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation mechanisms. Heterogeneous nucleation is found to be highly sensitive to surface selectivity and particle size, with rather subtle dependence on the particle size. Particles that preferentially adsorb the nucleating species generally favor heterogeneous nucleation. For sufficiently strong adsorption, barrierless nucleation is possible. By comparing the free energy barrier for homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, we construct a kinetic phase diagram.

Effect of small amount of ultra high molecular weight component on the crystallization behaviors of bimodal high density polyethylene

“…In our previous studies [29,30], using self-consistent mean field theory, it has been found that, for the case of a binary polymer blend, broadening MWD would decrease the energy barrier of nucleation and theoretically the high molecular weight component has the capability of inducing nucleation. Therefore, if UHMWPE could act as a certain nucleating agent for bimodal HDPE pipe resins and accelerate their crystallization rates, we may develop a potential preparation technique for producing high performance pipe materials with improved sag-resistance.…”

Applications of self-consistent field theory in polymer systems

“…We further investigated the nucleation nature of disordered micelles in highly asymmetric, sphere-forming diblock copolymer melts by employing SCFT [74] . These studies are of great importance to understand phase sepration mechanism and clear some uncertainties of experimental results in this area [71][72][73][74] .…”

“…For example, effects of AB diblock copolymers to A/B binary blends on the structure and nucleation were investigated by using SCFT [72] . We also studied the nucleation of A/B binary blends in the presence of mesoscopic spherical particles [73] . We further investigated the nucleation nature of disordered micelles in highly asymmetric, sphere-forming diblock copolymer melts by employing SCFT [74] .…”

A numerical method for the study of nucleation of ordered phases

“…Using density-functional approach, Wang and co-workers studied both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation in macrophase seperation of binary homopolymer blends based on self-consistent field model [9][10][11]. In their cases no ordered microphase is involved so spherical nuclei can be assumed.…”