Macromolecular reactions in polymer blends: interchain effects

Interchain interactions affect both reactivity and mobility of macromolecules and hence influence such processes as interdiffusion and phase separation. Three types of reactions in polymer blends proceeding without participation of low molecular reagents and leading to different kinds of copolymers are considered. For polymeranalogous reaction leading to statistical copolymers, the evolution of the blend structure under concerted action of the reaction and interdiffusion is described. For end-coupling reaction leading to a diblock copolymer formation, the competition between the reaction and spinodal decomposition is considered. For interchain exchange reaction in a homogeneous melt leading to multi-block and eventually to random copolymers, an analytical description of the molecular weight and block length transient distributions of the reaction product is developed. For the interchain exchange in a quasi-homogeneous blend, the competition between the reaction and spinodal decomposition is considered. Some important unsolved problems are mentioned.