pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S15 - Morphology and Structure Development (Honoring Symposia - J-M. Haudin)
Poster Presentation
 
 

Droplet coalescence and clustering behavior in microsphere-filled PIB/PDMS blends under shear flow: The key role of component ratio

Mao Chaoying (1), Huang Yajiang (2)*, Kong Miqiu (2), Yang Qi (2), Li Guangxian (2)

(1) College of polymer science and engineering, Sichuan University - Chengdu, Sichuan - China, (2) College of polymer science and engineering, Sichuan University - Chengdu, Sichuan - China

The flow-induced morphology of ternary polymer blends consisting of two Newtonian fluids, namely polyisobutylene (PIB) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and a small fraction of solid polystyrene (PS) microspheres are explored by direct flow visualization. The results suggest that the asymmetric affinity of interfacially located PS microspheres to two fluid components leads to diverse flow-induced morphology in PIB/PDMS blends with different compositions. In 10/90 blends which microspheres are preferentially wetted by the PIB droplets, significantly promoted coalescence of PIB droplets is observed. Increasing the loading of particles or changing the shear rate will alter the size and spatial distribution of PIB droplets. In contrast, in the inverse 90/10 blends which microspheres are wetted by the continuous PIB phase, bridging of PDMS droplets is found, leading to the generation of string-like structure or grape-like clusters. These results indicate that the flow-induced morphology of PIB/PDMS blends in the presence of PS microspheres is not only determined by the experiment conditions (shear rate and degree of wall confinement) but also to a large extent by the component ratio (concentration of PS microspheres and composition ratio of blends).