Determination of Pair Interaction Parameters of Multicomponent Polymer Systems

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Physical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Polymer-polymer systems with amorphous separation require understanding component interactions.
• Accurate thermodynamic characterization is crucial for predicting mixture behavior.
• Existing methods may not fully address multicomponent systems with specific functional group interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop an original technique to determine pair interaction parameters in multicomponent polymer systems.
• Enable calculation of thermodynamic characteristics from experimental sorption data.
• Predict the phase state of polymer mixtures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized sorption isotherms of common solvent vapor (water vapor) for analysis.
• Developed an algorithm for calculating pair interaction parameters.
• Applied the technique to various polymer-polymer systems including PNVP-PEG, PNVP-PEG-PAA, PNVCL-PEG, and PVA-PEG.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed and validated a novel technique for determining polymer-polymer interaction parameters.
• Demonstrated the ability to calculate thermodynamic properties like chemical potential and Gibbs free energy of mixing.
• Showcased the prediction of phase states for multicomponent polymer mixtures based on sorption data.

Conclusions:

• The developed technique provides a reliable method for characterizing multicomponent polymer systems.
• Sorption isotherms are effective for understanding thermodynamic behavior and phase transitions in these systems.
• This approach advances the study of polymer blends with specific functional group interactions.