We perform a thermodynamic analysis of the polymerization-induced phaseseparation in nanoparticle-monomer-polymer blends using a simple model recentlyproposed by V. V. Ginzburg (Macromolecules 2005, 38, 2362.). The model wasadapted for ternary blends constituted by nanoparticles, a monomer and a linearpolymer, where the relative fractions of polymer and monomer determine theconversion in the polymerization reaction. The analysis showed that phaseseparation can occur in the course of polymerization for a large range ofvalues of the relevant parameters (interaction parameter, and polymer andparticle sizes). This possibility has to be considered when the intention is tofix a uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in a monomer through itspolymerization.
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