Homogenization of Mutually Immiscible Polymers Using Nanoscale Effects: A Theoretical Study

4 p.A theoretical study to investigate homogenization of mutually immiscible polymers using nanoscale effects has been performed. Specifically, the miscibility behavior of all-polymer nanocomposites composed of linear-polystyrene (PS) chains and individual cross-linked poly(methyl methacrylate)-nanoparticles (PMMA-NPs) has been predicted. By using a mean field theory accounting for combinatorial interaction energy and nanoparticle-driven effects, phase diagrams were constructed as a function of PMMA-NP size, PS molecular weight, and temperature. Interestingly, complete miscibility (i.e., homogeneity) was predicted from room temperature to 675 K for PMMA-nanoparticles with radius less than ~7 nm blended with PS chains (molecular weight 150 kDa, nanoparticle volume fraction 20%) in spite of the well-known immiscibility between PS and PMMA. Several nanoscale effects affecting miscibility in PMMA-NP/PS nanocomposites involving small PMMA-nanoparticles are discussed.Financial support by MEC (Grant no. CSD2006-53), Basque Government (Grupos Consolidados IT-274-07), and Diputación de Gipuzkoa through C. I. C. Nanogune—Consolider and Nanotron Project is gratefully acknowledged