| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M03542/01 |
| Title: |
POLYMER BLENDS - THERMODYNAMICS AND RHEOLOGY |
| Principal Investigator: |
Higgins, Dame JS |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Chemical Engineering |
| Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 February 1998 |
Ends: |
31 January 2001 |
Value (£): |
186,131
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Characterisation |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Polymer blends have important technological applications. A number of groups have shown that for partially miscible blends the quiescent phase diagram becomes shifted and more complex under flow conditions. There are clear implications for the successful processing of such mixtures. The Imperial college group are unique in their systematic study of the phase separation processes which occur in some systems below the quiescent phase boundary and above the glass transition temperature, a region where it is very difficult to work because of the high viscosity. In this proposal we will investigate in detail the kinetics of the phase separation following commencement of flow (a shear jump or flow jump). At Leeds we will characterise the rheology of the blends and their components. Finally we will relate these observations to current theories of composition fluctuations under shear or extension. Theory/experiment collaboration between the two groups is a continuous element of the programme (the theoretical aspects are currently funded under grant GR/K18159). We expect new theoretical developments will follow from the new data.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |