Miscibility of some methacrylate and acrylate homopolymer blends

The miscibility of three binary blends, poly(methyl methacrylate) with poly(methyl acrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate) with poly(ethyl acrylate), and poly (methyl methacrylate) with poly(ethyl acrylate) has been examined using narrow molecular weight distribution samples prepared by the group-transfer polymerization technique. The structural difference of the a-methyl group is sufficient to limit one-phase behavior to mixtures of polymers of low molecular weight only. A similar situation is found for mixtures of the isomers poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(ethyl acrylate). Analysis of the molecular weight miscibility limits yields the segmental interaction energy density values; although, a fuller description of the effect of blend composition on miscibility requires these to be composition variables. © 1992 American Chemical Society.