THERMALLY INDUCED PHASE SEPARATION IN TERNARY POLYMER SOLUTION

Using Small Angle Light Scattering (SALS), the effect of quench depth on the kinetics of phase separation for ternary solution blends was investigated. The system was composed of two polymers (polystyrene and polybutadiene) and a solvent (toluene). The analyses of the early stage of phase separation were based of the Cahn-Hilliard theory [1,5]. Apparent diffusion coefficients and the fastest mode of fluctuations were evaluated, when quench depth of the system were varied near the critical composition of polymer. In the late stage of phase separation, the domain growth showed a power law with the 1/3 exponent, i.e. $q_m(t)~t^{-1/3}$. For comparison between real images and scattering profiles with time, the image of phase domains with time were obtained by using Laser Confocal Scanning Microscopy (LSCM).