Source:
Polymer, Volume 33, Number 21, p.4635-8 (1992)
Accession Number:
1992652289
Abstract:
A light scattering instrument capable of monitoring the scattering from samples under the influence of a simple shear field is constructed. The app. consists of transparent cone-and-plate fixtures. and a two-dimensional charge coupled device array detector. The detector unit is also capable of measuring the scattering patterns as a function of time. The phase sepn. kinetics of an 8% soln. of a polystyrene-polybutadiene (50:50) blend in dioctyl phthalate following cessation of a steady shear is monitored with this instrument. The sample is two-phase in the quiescent state and the applied shear is sufficient to suppress all scattering obsd. from the quiescent sample (shear-induced mixing). The evolution of the scattering profiles following cessation of shear is quite different parallel and perpendicular to the original flow direction. In the normal direction, a spinodal growth and coarsening mechanism similar to that obsd. in temp. quench expts. is obsd. In the parallel direction, a different mechanism is followed.
