Phase structure and continuity in polymer blends and composites

Polymer blends and composites are composed of two different components, and usually, two different phases. Sometimes one phase is continuous and the other clearly discontinuous. Often, however, both phases retain some degree of continuity, as in certain fiber reinforced composites, block copolymers, materials composed of alternating lamellae structures and interpenetrating networks. A semi‐empirical theory is developed to express mathematically not only the known structures, but also two‐phase morphologies not yet synthesized or characterized. Many structures both real and proposed are shown to exhibit dual phase continuity, although for most systems, one phase can be said to be “more continuous” and the other “less continuous”.