DISTRIBUTION OF CARBON-BLACK IN POLYETHYLENE BLENDS WITH ETHYLENE-VINYL ACETATE COPOLYMERS

The distribution of carbon black between the phases of heterogeneous blends of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers with one another and with polyethylene was studied. in the course of mixing, a fraction of carbon black is partially transferred from the phase premixed with carbon to another, unfilled phase. The redistribution of carbon black is related to and quantitatively controlled by partial mutual solubility of the polymers. With an increase in mutual solubility of the polymers, the distribution of carbon black in the mixture becomes more uniform; this, in effect, reduces the electrical conductivity of the composite.