Nanocomposite Fibers Based on Phase Separating Polymer Blends

We have investigated phase separating immiscible polymer blends of a polymer melt and a polymer solution as a means to produce composites with features on a submicron length scale. A 2D cell dynamics code for modeling phase separation in a flow field has been modified to include features such as a boundary which favors one component and a flow profile for a power law fluid. The simulations indicate that the skin formation seen experimentally is driven by surface energy effects rather than viscosity. In pressure driven flow a power law fluid is predicted to have a more pronounced sheath core structure than a Newtonian fluid.