Figure 1

Viscoelastic phase separation. Viscoelastic phase separation occurs in mixtures of components with very different dynamic regimes. (A) The mixture just after mixing, with large, slow polymers (blue lines) and smaller, very dynamic molecules (red balls). Long polymers show slow movement (single arrowhead) and tend to aggregate (wavy green line) and small molecules are very dynamic (multiple arrowheads). At this time point no phase separation can be observed. (B) This shows a later snapshot of A, with more self-aggregation in the polymer, where the polymer collapse in a separated phase.