The understanding of the localization of fillers in polymer blends is of primary importance for the
production of polymer blends with controlled properties. In this paper, the effect of blend viscosity ratio
on filler localization was investigated by preparing polypropylene (PP)/poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) cocontinuous
blends with different viscosity ratios K ¼ hPCL/hPP, varying from 0.06 to 14.7 and filled
with carbon black particles (CB). Polymer phases were premixed before adding CB filler in order to avoid
particles incorporation in the phase that melts first (i.e. PCL). The blend co-continuity was checked by
solvent extraction technique. The filler localization was studied by different microscopies: Scanning
Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Optical Microscopy. It was found that fillers
located in the highest viscosity phase, whatever its chemical nature (PP or PCL). For viscosity ratio close
to one, fillers were localized at the blend interface. These experimental observations were interpreted in
terms of hydrodynamic forces acting on filler particles. These drag forces depend on phase viscosity and
tend to extract fillers from the interface towards one of the polymer phase. So, fillers are extracted to the
highest viscosity phase, applying the most important force. When viscosity ratio is close to one, the two
forces balance each other, leading to a “stabilization” of the particles at the blend interface