Quantitative prediction of particle size of dispersed phase in elastomer-plastic blends

In investigating the relationship between the particle size of the dispersed phase in a polymer blend and the physical properties of the resulting product, the effects of conditions of blending, viscosity difference, and volume fraction, etc., are usually observed and studied. This approach is uncertain since blending is a complex process. From a theoretical background similar to that of N. Tokita's, but using a different mathematical and experimental treatment, a complex factor composed of shear rate, apparent viscosity of the system, and volume fraction of the dispersed phase is proposed. This factor is found to provide a linear relation with the mean radius of dispersed particles as expressed by \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ \frac{1}{R} = A \cdot \frac{{SV}}{F} + B $$\end{document} where R is the mean particle radius in the dispersed phase; S is shear rate of mixing;, V is apparent viscosity of the system; F is volume fraction of the dispersed phase; B is an experimental constant relating to breaking energy of the dispersed phase and interfacial tension; and A is also a constant relating to interfacial tension and the probability that a collision will result in a coalescence.