Compatibility Study of Polystyrene and Poly Methyl-methacrylate Blends using FTIR and Viscometry Methods

Abstract

Communication in Physical Sciences 2019, 4(2): 81-86

Authors: N. S. Akpan, U. Idio, S. Usman, A. Idowu, M. Ugbaja, & L. Zango

Received 03 December 2019/Accepted 29 December 2019

Polystyrene and poly(methyl - methacrylate) are widely applied polymers but suffer from some property’s failures such as brittleness, especially when used in crude form, In view of this, and other materials requirements that is expected to be met by most polymers. Thisstudy seeks to investigate compatibility of various blends of polystyrene and poly (methyl methacrylate) (in chloroform solvent) using Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy and viscometry methods. Results obtained from Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy indicated that blending did not change the functional groups of the polymers significantly, which pointed towards the existent of little or no interaction. Viscometry measurements revealed that plots of relative viscosity versus concentration, specific viscosity versus concentration and reduced viscosity versus concentration were respectively parallel to each other and assumed S-shaped which also indicated the absence of interaction, hence incompatibility. It is concluded in this work that at the operation temperature of 303 K, there is no compatibility between polystyrene and poly(methylmethacrylate) blends.