Viscometric behaviour of polymer blends based on poly (vinylidene fluoride)

Abstract

The viscosity behaviour of dilute dimethylformamide solutions of poly(vinylidene fluoride)-poly (methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinylidene fluoride)-polystyrene has been studied at 25°C. The polymer concentration ranges are such that neither phase separation nor microgel formation occurs, although we are very close to theta conditions. The intrinsic viscosity and viscosity interaction parameter of the ternary mixtures have been calculated. The estimation of the compatibility of the above polymer pairs has been studied based on: a) specific viscosities; b) viscosity interaction parameters, according to Krigbaum and Wall formalism, and c) viscosity interaction parameters of a system formed by a dilute probe polymer in the presence of a matrix polymer and a small molecule solvent.