Revision of UNIFAC group interaction parameters of group contribution models to improve prediction results of vapor–liquid equilibria for solvent–polymer systems

The objective of this work was to improve the accuracy of group contribution models for prediction of solvent activities in polymer solutions by revising UNIFAC group interaction parameters using a wide range of vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data of solvent–polymer systems. The group contribution models considered in this work were UNIFAC-FV, Entropic-FV, GK-FV and UNIFAC-ZM models. A total of 142 systems that consisted of 16 polymers and 36 solvents containing a large variety of solvent–polymer systems ranging from non-polar to polar substances were considered to optimize 46 pairs of group interaction parameters. Data considered were split up into systems containing alkane and cycloalkane, aromatic, and polar solvents. For athermal systems, the UNIFAC-FV model gave the best results. Therefore, the model was used in optimizing the group parameters. Revised group interaction parameters were found to improve the reliability of VLE predictions in solvent–polymer systems. A significant improvement of prediction results was achieved by UNIFAC-FV model from 20.0 to 10.8% absolute average deviation (AAD) in solvent activities for systems containing polar solvents and from 16.7 to 10.9% AAD for all systems. The prediction results of GK-FV and UNIFAC-ZM models were also improved.     

Electrokinetic sonic amplitude method as applied to studying adsorption of high-molecular-mass compounds at interfaces

It is shown that the regularities of the adsorption of high-molecular-mass compounds on particle surfaces in disperse systems can be studied by the electrokinetic sonic amplitude method. Procedures are developed for calculating parameters of polymer adsorption layers and the quantitative analysis of their structure. The parameters of the adsorption layers are calculated by the example of a hydrophilic polymer, ethyl-hydroxyethylcellulose, and hydrophilic particles of titanium dioxide and iron oxide dispersed in aqueous disperse systems subjected and nonsubjected to an intense mechanical treatment. The treatment of the disperse systems in the field of intense wave vibrations is found to enhance the adsorption interaction.     

Phase behaviors of polymer solutions using molecular simulation technique

Phase behaviors of polymer solutions are estimated using a combination of thermodynamic models and molecular simulation technique. In general, many parameters of binary systems are determined by fitting a thermodynamic model with experimental data. In this study, we obtained all parameters using molecular simulation. To take the specific interaction into account, we assume that it only occurs between a solvent molecule and a specific group. Our results show that the theoretical treatment accounting for the specific interaction gives more accurate predictions than those without consideration of specific interaction. Also, our approach describes the phase equilibria of various polymer solutions over the entire concentration remarkably well.     

Phase behavior of polystyrene–polyisoprene–toluene systems in the temperature range 15–45°c

The phase behavior of narrow molecular weight distribution samples of polystyrene and polyisoprene in the presence of toluene was investigated by means of gel permeation chromatography. Equilibrium phase diagrams, tie lines, and critical points for a number of partially miscible polystyrene-polyisoprene-toluene systems were generated at 15 and 30°C and 1 atm pressure. The data were combined with previously reported results at 45°C. Using the experimentally determined phase compositions along with literature values of the polymer–solvent interaction parameters, the polymer–polymer interaction parameters were evaluated using the Flory–Huggins theory. The influence of temperature, polymer molecular weight, and polymer–solvant interaction parameters on the size, shape, and location of the equilibrium phase curve, the location of the critical point, and the polymer–polymer interaction parameter was studied.     

Relation of the free energy interaction parameters to some structural properties of ion-exchange resins

In our previous publication equations were derived for the calculation of the free energy interaction parameters from ion-exchange equilibrium measurements. These parameters were calculated for several selected cation- and anion-exchange systems. For the demonstration of the structural significance of these parameters our own anion-exchange equilibrium data were processed together with similar data available for other systems in the literature. It has been proved that the calculated free energy interaction parameters are related to the crosslinking of the polymer matrix, to the size of the active group of the resin and to the size of the exchanging counter ion. Since these structural features of the resisns are all important selectivity controlling properties the free energy interaction parameters can be used advantageously for the operational characterisation or comparison of the ion exchangers or other reactive polymers.     

A thermodynamic analysis on the coincidence of extrema conditions in the sorption equilibrium for ternary polymer systems

Flory-Huggins theory of polymer solutions has been used to express the condition of extrema values in the total sorption, as well as the inversion point in the preferential adsorption parameters for termary polymer systems. Two approaches have been followed, the first considers the binary and ternary interaction parameters independent of polymer concentration and solvent composition. In the second one, this dependence has been introduced. Our attention is focused on the volume fraction of solvent mixture dependence of the above parameters, in order to confirm or not the coincidence between the extrema values and the inversion point. Several cosolvent and cononsolvent ternary polymer systems, have been used to test the validity of the equations obtained. Also, it has been verified, from an experimental point of view, that in cosolvent ternary polymer systems there is coincidence in both compositions while in cononsolvent ternary polymer systems, such coincidence does not appear.     

Estimation of the hamaker coefficient for a fuel-cell-supported catalyst system

Hamaker coefficients are estimated for various nanoparticle-support systems commonly used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The interaction energies, cohesion between nanoparticles, and adhesion of nanoparticles on the support are also estimated from the experimental data. Comparison between the bulk properties of platinum metal, calculated from the optical spectra available in the literature, and the nanoparticles are provided. Measurements to obtain the optical properties of the systems of interest are also reported. Implications of the van der Waals forces on the supported catalyst structure properties are discussed. The algorithm used in calculation of the Hamaker coefficient using Lifshitz theory was evaluated with known materials, using the spectral parameters available in the literature, and the results are presented.     

The interaction parameter of crosslinked networks and star polymers

Recent results on blends containing star polymers have revived the interest on the interaction parameters of structures that contain junctions between chains, a matter which can be connected with the earlier studies on the influence of crosslinks on the interaction parameters of polymer networks and gels. Here, we review results on crosslinked networks and star polymer solutions together with the more recent work on star polymer blends. The review covers swelling and elastic deformation of gels, differential vapour sorption between crosslinked and uncrosslinked polymers, osmotic equilibrium of gels and of star polymer solutions, and neutron scattering of polymer blends containing star polymers. In the systems reviewed, the interaction parameters of stars and networks differ from those of linear chains, and the difference is attributed mainly to entropic effects.     

The new experimental data and a new thermodynamic model based on group contribution for correlation liquid–liquid equilibria in aqueous two-phase systems of PEG and (K2HPO4 or Na2SO4)

The new experimental data of liquid–liquid equilibria for aqueous two-phase systems PEG–K₂HPO₄–water and PEG–Na₂SO₄–water are presented. The effects of pH and molecular weight of polyethylene glycol were investigated and the tie lines with binodal curves for both systems are shown. A new thermodynamic model based on group contribution has been proposed for studying the phase behavior of aqueous two-phase polymer–salt systems. The assumptions of NRTL-NRF model and the activity coefficient equation of UNIQUAC-NRF model have been used for the groups. In this new model, UNIFAC-NRF, the nonrandom state of groups were selected as a reference state. The binary interaction parameters were adjusted using the data of binary salt–water systems and the ternary systems were correlated with only six binary adjustable parameters. The Debye–Huckel equation based on Fowller–Guggenheim equation was used to calculate the long range electrostatic interaction of the ions. The UNIFAC-NRF model was applied to correlate the experimental data of aqueous two-phase systems: PEG–K₂HPO₄–water and PEG–Na₂SO₄–water for two different molecular weight of PEG at different pH. The results of the new model showed that it can be used to correlate the LLE in aqueous solution of polymer–salt very well.     

pePC-SAFT: Modeling of polyelectrolyte systems 2. Aqueous two-phase systems

This work considers aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) containing one polymer-polyelectrolyte as well as one salt. To model the liquid-liquid equilibria (LLE) of these systems, the recently presented model pePC-SAFT has been employed. ATPS containing poly(acrylic acid) of different degrees of neutralization or poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), respectively, were considered. The binary interaction parameters used between water-poly(acrylic acid) and water-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) were adjusted to vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data of these systems. ATPS consisting of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-water-sodium sulfate were predicted as function of temperature as well as of molar mass of the polymer. For poly(acrylic acid) systems, ATPS were predicted as function of charge density (degree of neutralization) for different types of salt. For these calculations, the polyelectrolyte model parameters were determined from the non-charged polymer whereas the effect of increasing charge density has been purely predicted by the model. Using this approach, it is possible to predict the shrinking of the liquid-liquid equilibrium region with increasing charging of the polyelectrolyte.     

Closed-packed lattice model for polymer solution systems considering the chain length dependence effect: Correlating LLE,VLE, and gel swelling behaviors using identical interaction energy parameters

We propose a new Helmholtz energy of mixing equation following the original Flory–Huggins (F–H) closed-packed lattice model. Also, to overcome F–H mean-field approximation, we introduce new universal constants to consider chain length dependence of polymer in solvent and consider specific interactions to describe strongly interacting polymer systems. Our proposed model successfully describes liquid–liquid equilibria (LLE) for binary polymer–solvent systems using identical interaction parameters which do not depend on the polymer molecular weight. We also describe vapor–liquid equilibria (VLE) for polymer/solvent systems and swelling equilibria of thermosensitive hydrogel systems using the same energy parameters obtained from LLE calculations.     

Intramolecular screening effects in nondilute polymer solutions: An equation‐of‐state approach

In a previous article, we presented a simple modification of the traditional Flory–Huggins theory that took intramolecular screening effects (or same chain contacts) into account. In this article, we present a natural extension of that work, in which free‐volume effects are also explained with an equation‐of‐state model. The predictions of the interaction parameter, χ, for several polymer–solvent systems are presented, over the entire concentration range, in θ solvents and good solvents. A geometric mean assumption is applied to the calculation of an exchange energy interaction term. The predictions of χ are successful to various degrees when internal pressures are used, whereas the use of solubility parameters in most cases produces fairly good agreement with experimental results. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2911–2922, 2003     

Microcalorimetric evidence of hydrophobic interactions between hydrophobically modified cationic polysaccharides and surfactants of the same charge

We synthesized and characterized a series of new polymers-hydrophobically modified cationic polysaccharides-based on dextran having pendant N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-N,N-dimethyl-N-alkylammonium chloride groups randomly distributed along the polymer backbone. These polymers are good candidates for studying the hydrophobic effect on polymer/surfactant association. In previous papers we reported their interactions with oppositely charged surfactants. For further insight into the relative importance of the hydrophobic interaction in the association process now we studied the thermodynamics of the interaction of these hydrophobically modified polymers with surfactants of the same charge (DMRX/CnTAC) by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). In order to try to discriminate the solution behavior of these polymer/surfactant systems, we analyzed separately the interaction of unmodified dextran with ionic surfactants and the interactions between the corresponding cationic surfactants. The interaction enthalpies for DMRX/CnTAC systems were derived from a proposed thermodynamic model with equations that describe the polymer-surfactant interactions. The thermodynamic parameters for the DMRX/CnTAC aggregation process as well as surfactant micellization in the presence of the polymer were also calculated. From all the results we were able to ascertain the effect on the interactions of changing the alkyl chain length of the polyelectrolyte pendant groups or the surfactant. The importance of the polymer aggregation state on the mechanism of interaction was also addressed.     

Correlation of thermodynamic modeling and molecular simulations for liquid-liquid equilibrium of ternary polymer mixtures based on a phenomenological scaling method

In our previous study [S.Y. Oh, Y.C. Bae, J. Phys. Chem. B 114 (2010) 8948-8953], we presented a new method to predict liquid-liquid equilibria in ternary simple liquid mixtures by using a combination of a thermodynamic model and molecular simulations. As a continuation of that effort, we extend our previously developed method to ternary polymer systems. In the simulations, we used the dummy atoms to calculate the pair interaction energy values between the polymer segments and the solvent molecules. Furthermore, a thermodynamic model scaling concept is introduced to consider the chain length dependence of the energy parameters. This method was applied to ternary mixtures incorporating low to high molecular weight polymers. The method presented here well described the experimental observations using one or no adjustable parameters.     

Interaction of bacterial acidic polysaccharide with cationic dyes

The interaction of acidic capsular polysaccharide isolated fromKlebsiella K26 with cationic dyes pinacyanol chloride, acridine orange and phenosafranin has been studied by spectral measurements. The polymer induces metachromasy in pinacyanol chloride dye, indicating a blue shift in the visibly absorption spectrum of the dye from 600 to 500 nm. The stoichiometry of polymer/dye in the metachromatic compound, thermodynamic parameters of interaction, and effects of different cosolvents on the stability of the complex have been studied. Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric properties of the interaction between the polymer and all three dyes are presented. The chromotropic property of the polymer has been established.     

Measurement of activity coefficients in polymer solutions by the reversedflow technique

Summary The reversed-flow, gas-chromatographic method for measuring activities and activity coefficients in binary liquid mixtures is now extended to the determination of activity coefficients of the solvent in polymer-solvent systems over the whole range of polymer concentration, as well as for the calculation of Flory-Huggins interaction parameters. The parameters found by the present method are compared with those determined by other techniques or calculated theoretically.     

Improvement to the lattice-fluid prediction of gas solubilities in polymer liquids

Previously we have shown that the Lattice Fluid (LF) model can quantitatively predict, without adjustable parameters, gas solubilities for hydrocarbon and chlorinated hydrocarbon vapors in nonpolar polymers. For polar polymers, the model can also predict, with reasonable success, the solubilities of polar and aromatic vapors. However, the solubilities in polar/nonpolar combinations of gas and polymer are systematically overestimated. These are cases in which the geometric mean approximation for the interaction parameter is not expected to be valid. This paper demonstrates that with the addition of a simple empirical correlation for the interaction parameter based on Hansen's three-dimensional solubility parameters, the LF model is then able to quantitatively predict solubilities in all types of gas/polymer systems (excluding strongly self-associating systems, such as alcohols). No adjustable parameters are used; only the pure component equation-of-state and solubility parameters are required. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Light scattering investigation of interaction between polymers in dilute solution

Parameters characterizing the interaction of nonidentical polymer molecules in dilute solutions of mixtures of two polymers have been defined on the basis of Stockmayer's theory of light scattering in multicomponent systems. Various procedures for evaluation of the interaction parameters from experimental data have been compared. Specific features of the investigation of such interactions are demonstrated with the scattering behavior of the system polystyrene-poly-(methyl methacrylate)-dioxane.     

Lithium passivation by polymer-containing electrolytes based on organic silicon derivatives of poly-2-methyl-5-vinylpyridinium halides

Electrochemical properties of Li//Li, Li/MnO₂, and Li/FeS₂ systems with liquid polymer-containing electrolytes based on solutions of N-siloxane organic, N-silacrown ether derivatives of poly-2-methyl-5-vinylpyridinium halides, and LiC10₄ in propylene carbonate are studied by the impedance technique. The chemical nature of functional groups in side chains of the polymer, the number of ionogenic groups in its elementary unit, and the polymer synthesis history influence impedance parameters of systems. Such an influence is due to the polymer interaction with the lithium electrode. In a system with a strongly oxidative cathode, the overall resistance decreases, the capacitance increases, and components of the electrolyte presumably interact with the cathode. Products of such an interaction alter parameters of the passivating film on the lithium surface, which may act as a solid electrolyte in a battery without an additional separator.     

A Modified Local Composition-Based Model for Correlating the Vapor-Liquid and Liquid-Liquid Phase Equilibria of Aqueous Polymer-Salt Systems

In this research, a new local composition model has been proposed to study the vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid phase equilibria of polyelectrolyte solutions. The proposed model has been used in order to obtain the activity of water in polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polypropylene glycol (PPG) solutions. The interaction parameters introduced into the proposed model have been reported. The interaction parameters between the salt and water molecule have been estimated using the experimental mean ionic activity coefficients of aqueous electrolytes studied in this work. Also, the interaction parameters between the polymer and salt molecule, and the polymer and water molecule have been computed using the experimental activity of water data in aqueous polymer solutions. The results showed that the proposed model, segment-based Wilson and segment-based NRTL models have good accuracy in correlating the vapor-liquid phase equilibria of the water-polymer and water-polymer-salt systems. Also, the liquid-liquid phase behavior of the polymer-salt aqueous two-phase systems has been correlated using the proposed model. The results show that the proposed model can more accurately correlate the phase behavior of aqueous two-phase systems than the UNIQUAC and the modified Wilson models.