a) b - École Polytechnique de Montréal

morphology(Zhang, et al., 2007). In the next sections it will be shown that four
thermodynamically stable sub-classes of morphologies exist for HDPE/PS/PMMA depending on
the composition of phases.
Figure 6-4. FIB-AFM image of complete wetting morphology for ternary 40/20/40
HDPE/PS/PMMA blend showing the layer of PS at the interface of HDPE and PMMA. Scan size
is 25μm×25μm. The bar to the right of the FIB/AFM micrograph indicates the colours associated
with the topographical height in nm. The white line in the image indicates the section analyzed.
6.4.1 Matrix/Core-Shell Dispersed Phase Morphology
The matrix/core-shell dispersed phase morphology is a well-known sub-morphology for ternary
blends. This morphology in a ternary A/B/C blend constitutes droplets of phase A encapsulated
by phase B in the matrix of phase C (shown by schematic in Figure 6-5a). A micrograph of this
morphology is shown for a ternary 60/10/30 HDPE/PS/PMMA blend comprised of a matrix of
HDPE with the PMMA phase present as a core in a PS shell phase(Figure 6-5b).
50
0
-50
PMMA
Section
PS
1 2
Distance μm
HDPE
182