Description of the droplet size evolution in flowing immiscible polymer blends

0504684 - ÚMCH 2020 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Fortelný, Ivan - Jůza, Josef
Description of the droplet size evolution in flowing immiscible polymer blends.
Polymers. Roč. 11, č. 5 (2019), s. 1-31, č. článku 761. E-ISSN 2073-4360
R&D Projects: GA TA ČR(CZ) TN01000008
Institutional support: RVO:61389013
Keywords : polymer blends * phase structure * droplet breakup
OECD category: Polymer science
Impact factor: 3.426, year: 2019
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/11/5/761/pdf

Control of the phase structure evolution in flowing immiscible polymer blends during their mixing and processing is fundamental for tailoring of their performance. This review summarizes present state of understanding and predictability of the phase structure evolution in flowing immiscible polymer blends with dispersed structure. Results of the studies of the droplet breakup in flow, important for determination of the droplet breakup frequency and of the size distribution of the daughter droplets, are reviewed. Theories of the flow-induced coalescence providing equations for collision efficiency are discussed. Approximate analytic expressions reliably describing dependence of the collision efficiency on system parameters are presented. Available theories describing the competition between the droplet breakup and coalescence in flow are summarized and approximations used in their derivation are discussed. Problems with applicability of available theories on prediction of the droplet size evolution during mixing and processing of immiscible polymer blends, which have not been broadly discussed so far, are addressed.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0296914