Premium
Volume Phase Transition of Polymer Networks in Polymeric Solvents
Author(s) -
Okay Oguz,
Gundogan Nermin
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
macromolecular theory and simulations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-3919
pISSN - 1022-1344
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3919(20020301)11:3<287::aid-mats287>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - polymer , phase transition , solvent , polymer network , excluded volume , ionic bonding , volume (thermodynamics) , swelling , thermodynamics , phase (matter) , chemistry , chemical physics , molecule , polymer chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , physics , ion , composite material
A strong concentration dependence of the solvent–polymer interaction parameter χ is known to be a requirement for the first‐order volume phase transition in uncharged polymer networks in solvents. Another possibility for the observation of phase transition in nonpolar networks is to increase the number of lattice sizes occupied by a solvent molecule. This possibility has been indicated earlier and is worked out in detail in this paper. Using the theory of swelling equilibrium, we examine the polymer network systems immersed in a polymer melt. The critical conditions for the phase transition in both uncharged and ionic networks are described.