In-situ composite materials based on oriented polymer blends : preparation, structure and properties

Abstract

The microfibrillar composites (MFCs) prepared in situ from polymer blends by a combination of mechanical and thermal treatment have been developed more than a decade ago. Since then, the importance of these novel materials, both for the theory and for the engineering practice, has increased significantly. It is an objective of this review to outline the place of MFCs within the whole variety of polymer-based composites. Furthermore, the methods of their preparation, the ways of investigation of their structure and the relation of the latter with the mechanical properties will be summarized.