Phase Structure of Poly(3-hydroxy butyrate)/Poly(vinyl acetate) Blends Probed by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

Abstract

The semicrystalline morphology of poly(3-hydroxy butyrate) (PHB)/poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) blends at four crystallization temperatures (Tc = 70, 90, 110, and 125 °C) was probed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Morphological parameters including the crystal thickness (lc) and the amorphous layer thickness (la) were deduced from the interphase distribution function. Blending with PVAc thickened the PHB crystals. The amorphous layers were also swollen upon blending, but la displayed a maximum in its variation with PVAc composition. A zero-angle scattering was observed in the Lorentz-corrected SAXS profiles of PHB/PVAc 60/40 blend crystallized at 110 and 125 °C and 50/50 composition crystallized at 90−125 °C. Such a zero-angle scattering was attributed to the presences of amorphous domains between the lamellar stacks so as to generate gaps in the sequential stacking of lamellae. These amorphous domains were generated by the interfibrillar segregation of PVAc, where PVAc was expelled beyond several lay...