Ternary miscibility in blends of three polymers with balanced binary interactions

Abstract

This study demonstrates and discusses ternary miscibility in a three-polymer blend system based on balanced binary interactions. A truly miscible ternary blend comprising poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(benzy1 methacrylate) (PBzMA), and poly(viny1 methyl ether) (PVME), was discovered and reported. Miscibility with phase homogeneity (excluding the PCL crystalline domain) in a wide composition range has been demonstrated using criteria of thermal transition behavior, cloud point, and microscopy characterization. At ambient temperature, the three-polymer ternary system is completely miscible within the entire composition range (i.e., no immiscibility loop). However, at slightly elevated temperatures above the ambient, phase separation readily occurred in this originally miscible ternary blend. A quite low "lower critical solution temperature" (LCST) near 75°C was found for the ternary blend, which is much lower than any of those for the binary pairs. Balanced interactions with no offsetting A x among the three binary pairs were a key factor leading to a ternary miscible system.

Interactions and prediction of phase diagrams in ternary blends comprising poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl p‐phenol), and poly(methyl methacrylate)

“…Usually, in a miscible ternary blend system, even lower ternary cloud points are observed by introducing a third polymer into a binary blend that already possesses apparent cloud‐point transition. For example, this kind of lowering effect has been seen in several ternary blend systems where the third polymer does not possess capability of building balanced but specific interactions with other two polymers 34, 35. However, in this study, introducing PVPh into PVAc/PMMA (blends that possess apparently low cloud points) does not seem to further lower the cloud points in the resulted ternary blend system.…”

Chemical Interaction-Induced Evolution of Phase Compatibilization in Blends of Poly(hydroxy ether of bisphenol-A)/Poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate)

“…Additionally, phenoxy can also form immiscible or partially miscible blends with some aliphatic polyesters (e.g., poly(ethylene succinate) [ 20 ], poly(butylene acid) (PBA) [ 5 ], and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) [ 21 ]) and aromatic polyesters (e.g., poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) [ 22 ], poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) [ 23 ], and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate) [ 24 ]). However, the chemical interactions that occur following high-temperature annealing enhance miscibility.…”

Chemical Interaction–Induced Evolution of Phase Compatibilization in Blends of Poly(hydroxy ether of bisphenol-A) with Poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate)

“…Additionally, phenoxy can also form immiscible or partially miscible blends with some aliphatic polyesters (e.g., poly(ethylene succinate) [20], poly(butylene acid) (PBA) [5], and poly(3hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) [21]) and aromatic polyesters (e.g., poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) [22], poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) [23], poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) [P(BS-co-BT)] [3], and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate) [24]). However, the chemical interactions that occur following high-temperature annealing enhance miscibility.…”