We have investigated the influence of CdSe nanoparticles on the spinodal phase separation of a near-critical blend of polystyrene (PS) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME). Phase separation is kinetically arrested due to aggregation of particles into a network (or colloidal gel) within the PVME phase, yielding a co-continuous structure with a characteristic length scale of several microns. Compared to structural arrest by interfacial jamming, this approach provides a more flexible route to prepare co-continuous micro- and nano-structured blends of polymers and nanoparticles.
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