Research Project on the Emulsifying and Homogenizing Properties of Block Copolymers in Polymer Blends

摘要

Ten years of ONR sponsored research in this laboratory has led to a clear and unified view of the emulsifying or homogenizing role of diblock copolymers in blends of amorphous rubbery polymers. Recent work emphasized that a similar, but more complex set of phenomena may be useful in the manipulation of semicrystalline polymer blend morphologies and properties. The research focused on model polymers comprised of nonpolar hydrocarbon repeat units. The work built on strong capabilities for in-house synthesis of the required homopolymers and diblock copolymers and for molecular, morphological, and mechanical characterization of the selected polymers. Keywords: Block copolymers, Emulsions.