The present invention relates to the use of surface-modified nanoparticles
to alter the morphology and microstructure of polymer blends. The
addition of surface modified nanoparticles to polymer blends comprised of
immiscible polymers facilitates the uniform distribution of the dispersed
phase of the polymer blend. In an embodiment, the present invention
relates to a polymer blend comprising (1) a continuous phase comprising
at least one polymer, monomer or oligomer, and a plurality of
surface-modified nanoparticles, having a particle diameter of less than
about 100 nanometers, distributed in the continuous polymer phase; and
(2) a dispersed phase comprising at least one polymer, monomer or
oligomer, wherein the continuous polymer phase and the dispersed polymer
phase are immiscible.