A simple method of evaluating the complex moduli of polystyrene blends

Abstract

In the search for a workable mixing rule, use was made of experimental data for complex moduli of melts of narrow molar mass distribution polystyrenes and their homogeneous blends. In the course of this work two basic observations were made as to the nature of the relaxation time spectra of these blends: For both processes approximate empirical equations could be found. It turned out that, after the application of the required modifications, the complex moduli of the components could successfully be added in order to obtain the complex moduli of the blend at circular frequencies characteristic for the flow and rubber transition regions. On the basis of these results one may expect that for the melt of any linear polymer the linear viscoelastic properties can be evaluated with reasonable accuracy from the knowledge of the molar mass distribution.