Analysis of phase structure and evolution of PP/PEOc blends during quiescent molten-state annealing process from SEM patterns. Part I: droplet/matrix morphology.

This work was aimed at studying the phase structure and evolution of polypropylene (PP)/poly(ethylene-1-octene) copolymer (PEOc) blends with droplet/matrix morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) during quiescent molten-state annealing process. The structure parameters, such as the area diameter, d, and number average diameters, D, of the dispersed phase in PP/PEOc blends were calculated by pattern analysis of SEM images. Moreover, the potential fractal behavior of the phase structure and morphology of PP/PEOc = 80/20 blend during the process was discussed. The histograms of $$ P\left( {{d_p \left/ {{{{\overline{d}}_p}}} \right.}} \right) $$ obtained at various annealing time fell on a master curve, demonstrating the self-similar growth of the phase structure of the blends during quiescent molten-state annealing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]