The influence of immobile filler particles (spheres, fibers, platelets) on polymer-blend phase separation is investigated computationally using a generalization of the Cahn-Hilliard-Cook (CHC) model. Simulation shows that the selective affinity of one of the polymers for the filler surface leads to the development of concentration waves about the filler particles at an early stage of phase sepa...

In this study, the development and characterization of novel polymer blends based on chitosan-poly (vinyl alcohol) and physically cross-linked by freeze-thaw method for possible use in a variety of biomedical application is reported. The present investigation deals with designing savlon-loaded blend hydrogels (coined as cryogels) of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chitosan by repeated freeze-tha...

Poly (vinyl alcohol)-chitosan blend films were prepared by casting the respective polymer solutions. The glutaraldehyde was used as a cross-linking agent. A series of PVA-chitosan blends were prepared by varying the ratio of the constituents. Mechanical and physical properties of blended films such as tensile properties in the dry and wet states, water uptake, surface tension and contact angle ...

An investigation has been made of the effects from a compatibilizer, viz. carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR), on several properties of nitrile rubber (NBR) and acrylic rubber (ACM) blends, including curing characteristics, mechanical, dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties. The presence of XNBR until 10 phr resulted in an improvement of the ultimate tensile properties, especially elongati...

A crucial issue facing polymer-based solar cells is how to manage the energetics of the polymer/fullerene blends to maximize short-circuit current density and open-circuit voltage at the same time and thus the power conversion efficiency. Here we demonstrate that the use of a naphthobisoxadiazole-based polymer with a narrow bandgap of 1.52 eV leads to high open-circuit voltages of approximately...

Understanding the stability and degradation mechanisms of organic solar materials is critically important to achieving long device lifetimes. Here, an investigation of the photodegradation of polymer:fullerene blend fi lms exposed to ambient conditions for a variety of polymer and fullerene derivative combinations is presented. Despite the wide range in polymer stabilities to photodegradation, ...

Polymeric insulators are widely used in newly constructed systems and to replace porcelain and glass insulators in existing power lines due to its improved performance. This paper presents an experimental work, which was carried to evaluate the flashover voltage (kV) of Silicone rubber / Ethylene propylene diene monoemer blends of outdoor insulators. Effect of environmental parameters at desert...

The Flory–Huggins χ parameter describes the excess free energy of mixing and governs phase behavior for polymer blends and block copolymers. For chemically-distinct nonpolar polymers, the value of χ is dominated by the mismatch in cohesive energy densities of the monomers. For blends of chemically-similar polymers, the entropic portion of χ, arising from non-ideal local packing, becomes more si...

Non-biodegradable polymers are released as microplastics into the environments during biodegradation of partially biodegradable polymer blends.