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Nucleation in binary polymer blends: effects of foreign mesoscopic spherical particles.
Jiafang Wang1, Zhen-Gang Wang, Yuliang Yang
1Department of Macromolecular Science, Key Lab of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Ministry of Education of China, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|July 21, 2004
Summary
We investigated nucleation in polymer blends using self-consistent field theory. Heterogeneous nucleation is sensitive to particle selectivity and size, potentially enabling barrierless nucleation.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Nucleation is a critical process in phase transitions of polymer blends.
- Understanding nucleation mechanisms is essential for controlling material properties.
- The role of additives, like mesoscopic particles, in nucleation is complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate nucleation in binary polymer blends with mesoscopic spherical particles.
- To analyze both heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation mechanisms.
- To construct a kinetic phase diagram based on free energy barriers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized self-consistent field theory (SCFT) to model the system.
- Considered heterogeneous nucleation influenced by particle surface properties.
- Analyzed homogeneous nucleation in the absence of particle influence.
Main Results:
- Heterogeneous nucleation is highly sensitive to particle surface selectivity for the nucleating species.
- Particle size has a subtle but significant impact on heterogeneous nucleation.
- Strong preferential adsorption of the nucleating species onto particles can lead to barrierless nucleation.
Conclusions:
- Mesoscopic particles can significantly influence nucleation pathways in polymer blends.
- Surface selectivity of particles is a key factor in promoting heterogeneous nucleation.
- The interplay between adsorption strength, particle size, and nucleation mechanisms dictates the resulting kinetics.