SANS from isotopic mixtures of binary and ternary polymer blends

A jointed experimental and computational study of binary and ternary blends of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) in presence of a compatibilizant (SEBS) is reported. Small angle neutron scattering and Monte Carlo simulations have revealed that the structure factor of the blends is strongly dependent on the confinement and the degree of crystallinity of the single components. The interpretation of the known mechanical properties of the systems are given in terms of a structural arrangement where localized crystallites are distributed all over the blends and SEBS is located at the interface of the two immiscible components. This picture envisages a rapid growth of the crystalline phases that is even more efficient in the ternary rather than in the binary blends due to the elimination of discontinuities at the sPS–HDPE interface.