THERMODYNAMICALLY REVERSIBLE AND IRREVERSIBLE CONTROL ON MORPHOLOGY OF MULTIPHASE SYSTEMS .2. MORPHOLOGY CONTROL BY SPINODAL DECOMPOSITION AND NUCLEATION AND GROWTH

Morphology and properties of polymer alloys can be controlled by thermodynamically reversible (structure freeze-in) or irreversible (structure lock-in) processes via simultaneously manipulating miscibility, mechanisms of phase separation, glass transition (structural relaxation), and cure kinetics of polymer systems. Using phase diagrams consisting of binodal and spinodal curves, the morphology of epoxy/carboxyl-terminated butadiene acrylonitrile copolymer (CTBN) systems can be controlled by the mechanism of nucleation and growth or by spinodal decomposition. We have found that the particle size of the rubber reinforcement in epoxies is affected by the mechanisms of phase separation. Phase separation by nucleation and growth gives larger rubber particles than the corresponding phase separation by spinodal decomposition. This contrast in the morphology development is the consequence of controlling phase separation through chemorheological behaviour. Modification of the phase separation kinetics in epoxy/CTBN systems was extremely effective at altering both morphology and properties of these alloys. This technique offers a means to shift the glass transition temperature of the rubber-rich phase while leaving the glass transition temperature of the epoxy-rich phase intact. Such control over morphology is the key to ultimately controlling material properties.