ABSTRACT
Comparisons of emulsion models with viscosity or normal stress data obtained from steady shear flow experiments remained difficult since the morphology of the emulsions may change during time under the effect of flow. The idea of using experimental data from linear oscillatory flow for the comparison with emulsion model predictions was first suggested by P. Scholz et al. and illustrated with data on polypropylene/polyamide blends. The problem of the deformation of a fluid drop suspended in another fluid undergoing flow is of particular relevance in the case of immiscible polymer blends, for which final properties depend on the blend morphology induced by processing. The processing and ultimate properties of multiphase blends depend not only on the corresponding properties of the blend components but also on the size distribution of inclusions and on the interfacial properties. One possibility in the design of new polymeric materials with improved properties is the blending of commercially available polymers.
