The paper shows how statistical models can help taylor complex polymeric mixtures. Ternary polymer mixtures were studied. Energy and strength at break response values were measured for thirteen samples of varying component proportions. The responses were statistically treated using special and full cubic models. The behaviors of these response values for the whole range of compositions of the PS/PMMA/PVDF and for PS/PBMA/PVDF blends are adequately described by full cubic models. Ternary diagrams marked by isoresponse value contour lines are useful for analyzing how these mechanical properties change with varying component proportions. Successful statistical modeling of the whole range of component proportions of the PS/PEMA/PVDF blends evidently requires more sophisticated mixture models.
statistical mixture models; polymer blends; full cubic models; polymethacrylates, polysterene; poly(vinilydene fluoride)
