Glass transition temperatures in binary polymer blends

• Published in: Journal of polymer science. Part B, Polymer physics Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 80 - 95
• Main Authors: Kalogeras, Ioannis M, Brostow, Witold
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-01-2009; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; blends; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); Exact sciences and technology; glass transition; glass transition temperature; intermolecular interactions; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; polymer blends; polymer miscibility; Properties and characterization; Thermal and thermodynamic properties; Intermolecular interaction; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); polymer miscibility; Polymer blends; Thermodynamic model; Property composition relationship; Theoretical study; intermolecular interactions; glass transition; Modeling; Glass transition temperature; blends
• ISSN: 0887-6266; 1099-0488
• DOI: 10.1002/polb.21616

Knowledge of the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) as function of composition reflects miscibility (or lack of it) and is decisive for virtually all properties of polymer-based materials. In this article, we analyze single blend-average and effective Tgs of miscible polymer blends in full concentration ranges. Shortcomings of the extant equations are discussed to support the need for an alternative. Focusing on the deviation from a linear relationship, defined as ΔTg = Tg - φ₁Tg,₁ - φ₂Tg,₂ (where φi and Tg,i are, respectively, the weight fraction and the Tg of the i-th component), a recently proposed equation for the blend Tg as a function of composition is tested extensively. This equation is simple; a quadratic polynomial centered around 2φ₁ - 1 = 0 is defined to represent deviations from linearity, and up to three parameters are used. The number of parameters needed to describe the experimental data, along with their magnitude and sign, provide a measure of the system complexity. For most binary polymer systems tested, the results obtained with the new equation are better than those attained from existing Tg equations. The key parameter of the equation a₀ is related to parameters commonly used to represent intersegmental interactions and miscibility in binary polymer blends.