Characterizing domain mixing effects in hydrogen bond‐compatibilized polymer blends

The nature and extent of phase mixing in blends of hydroxyl‐functionalized polystyrene and poly(ethyl acrylate) (PS/PEA), where the driving force for mixing is hydrogen bonding, are characterized by several techniques. Small‐angle x‐ray scattering (SAXS) shows a reduction in average domain size with increasing functionalization level, a result also evident from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Together, the two techniques reveal a very broad distribution of domain sizes. At high functionalization levels, both SAXS and SEM indicate a high degree of “in‐domain” mixing, with little or no pure PS or PEA remaining in the blends. Mathematical modeling of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) data is employed to quantify this progression. Initially, mixing is primarily interfacial, but as the functionalization level increases, the mixed interphase rapidly grows to occupy the entire material. In agreement with the SAXS and SEM results, DMTA modeling shows that further increases in the functionalization level suppress the amplitude of composition variations in the sample. The onset of extensive in‐domain mixing coincides with the marked changes in stress‐strain behavior observed previously in these materials. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.