Volume Fraction Effect for the Film Formation of PS/PVA Composites by Monitoring Photon Transmission Technique

Abstract

Film forming of the polystrene (PS) doped Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) particles were studied by photon transmission (PT) technique. The films were prepared as a mixture of PS and PVA particles at different compositions ranging from 10 to 100 wt % for the optical measurements at room temperature the film formation process was monitored by measuring the transmitted light intensity (Itr) from the samples using PT. The film formation includes two stages: void closure and interdiffusion stages. Percolation model was employed to interpret the distribution of PS particles in PVA lattice. Percolation threshold, Rc, was found to be as 0.4 and the volume fraction of PVA as a power law with exponent 1.01 which is very close to the predicted value, 1.00, by the percolation theory.