Polymer-Polymer Interdiffusion

Abstract

AbstractInterdiffusion of polymer chains plays an important role in establishing good adhesion at polymer interfaces as well as in the kinetics of phase separation and mixing in polymer blends. Reptation, a process in which a given linear chain crawls along a primitive path defined by the topological constraints due to the surrounding chains, is thought to be the most important diffusion mechanism. A reptating chain of Volecular weight M should have a tracer diffusion coefficient given by D =DR =Do M−2, where D depends on the Rouse mobility of the chain and an entang ement molecular weight, Me. Because the topological constraints are assumed to be fixed, DR is independent of the molecular weight P of the polymer into which the M-chains are diffusing. In principle however if M is large enough and P is small enough the M-chain can diffuse by rearrangement of the P-chains surrounding it, a process called constraint release. The D for this process, DCR= αCRDoMe2/(MP3), where αCR is a constant approximately equal to 13, increases strongly with decreasing P. Recent experimental results, which give evidence for both reptation and constraint release, will be reviewed. These results have important implications for the diffusion of nonlinear polymer chains, e.g. stars and rings.