Theory of coalescence in immiscible polymer blends

Abstract

Abstract The theory of coalescence in melts of polymer blends was derived on the basis of the Smoluchowski theory for colloid systems. An approximation for a flux of particles used for solutions of colloids in water was analyzed. It is shown that this approximation cannot be used for polymer blends, and an approximation is suggested that could be justifiably used for them. A system of equations was derived for the time dependence of the number of individual i ‐mers, using the relation suggested for the diffusion flux of particles. In an approximation of the uniform increase in particle size, equations were found for the time dependence of the number of particles, the average radius of the particle, and the interface area in the volume unit of the blend. The suggested theory predicts measurable coalescence in considerably more viscous systems than mechanically applied relations of the Smoluchowski theory for aqueous colloid solutions.