Phase diagrams of binary crystalline-crystalline polymer blends

A thermodynamically self-consistent theory has been developed to establish binary phase diagrams for two-crystalline polymer blends by taking into consideration all interactions including amorphous-amorphous, crystal-amorphous, amorphous-crystal, and crystal-crystal interactions. The present theory basically involves combination of the Flory-Huggins free energy for amorphous-amorphous isotropic mixing and the Landau free energy of polymer solidification (e.g., crystallization) of the crystalline constituents. The self-consistent solution via minimization of the free energy of the mixture affords determination of eutectic, peritectic, and azeotrope phase diagrams involving various coexistence regions such as liquid-liquid, liquid-solid, and solid-solid coexistence regions bound by liquidus and solidus lines. To validate the present theory, the predicted eutectic phase diagrams have been compared with the reported experimental binary phase diagrams of blends such as polyethylene fractions as well as polycaprolactone/trioxane mixtures.     

Phase equilibria and phase separation dynamics in a polymer composite containing a main-chain liquid crystalline polymer

Various topological phase diagrams of blends of main-chain liquid crystalline polymer (MCLCP) and flexible polymer have been established theoretically in the framework of Matsuyama–Kato theory by combining Flory–Huggins (FH) free energy for isotropic mixing, Maier–Saupe (MS) free energy for nematic ordering in the constituent MCLCP, and free energy pertaining to polymer chain-rigidity. As a scouting study, various phase diagrams of binary flexible polymer blends have been solved self-consistently that reveal a combined lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and upper critical solution temperature (UCST), including an hourglass phase diagram. The calculated phase diagrams exhibit liquidus and solidus lines along with a nematic–isotropic (NI) transition of the constituent MCLCP. Depending on the strengths of the FH interaction parameters and the anisotropic (nematic–nematic) interaction parameters, the self-consistent solution reveals an hourglass type phase diagram overlapping with the NI transition of the constituent MCLCP. Subsequently, thermodynamic parameters estimated from the phase diagrams hitherto established have been employed in the numerical computation to elucidate phase separation dynamics and morphology evolution accompanying thermal-quench induced phase separation of the MCLCP/polymer mixture. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3621-3630, 2006     

Topology of the liquidus hypersurface of the phase diagrams of quaternary systems

Consideration was made of structural features of the liquidus and solidus hypersurfaces of the isobaric melting diagrams of quaternary systems with a single liquid phase and solid phases of constant compositions which undergo neither phase transitions nor decomposition into other phases while cooling. An intimate relationship between the topologies of such hypersurfaces was noted. The oriented graph of the liquidus hypersurface can be obtained from the graph of the solidus hypersurface by drawing arrows on its edges in the direction of decreasing temperature along the corresponding monovariant lines or by labeling its vertices with symbols of types of invariant reactions. An example was given for constructing different variants of the melting diagram of a system that correspond to the same topology of the solidus hypersurface.     

The phase diagram of KNO3-KClO3

The binary phase diagram of KNO₃-KClO₃ is studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The limited solid solutions, K(NO₃)_1−x(ClO₃)_x (0<x<0.20) and K(NO₃)_1−x(ClO₃)_x (0.90<x<1.0), were formed in the KNO₃-based solid solutions and KClO₃-based solid solutions phase, respectively. For KNO₃-based solid solutions, KNO₃ ferroelectric phase can be stable from 423 to 223 K as a result of substituting of NO₃ by ClO₃-radicals. The temperatures for solidus and liquidus have been determined based on limited solid solutions. Two models, Henrian solution and regular solution theory for KNO₃-based (α) phase and KClO₃-based (β) phase, respectively, are employed to reproduce solidus and liquidus of the phase diagram. The results are in good agreement with the DSC data. The thermodynamic properties for α and β solid solutions have been derived from an optimization procedure using the experimental data. The calculated phase diagram and optimized thermodynamic parameters are thermodynamically self-consistent.     

Phase behavior of the quasiternary system N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide,water, and cellulose

The crystallization and melting behavior of the system N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (MMNO)–H₂O–cellulose has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry, optical and electron microscopy, and x-ray scattering. The phase diagram of the MMNO–H₂O solvent system is reported up to a water content of 28% w/w. MMNO forms two crystalline hydrates, namely a monohydrate (13,3% w/w H₂O) and a hydrate comprising five molecules of crystal water per two MMNO molecules (28% w/w H₂O), which melts at 78°C and 39°C, respectively. The melting points of the various diluent crystals are strongly depressed in the presence of cellulose. For example, the solvent liquidus curve in the quasibinary system MMNO.1H₂O–cellulose can be described very well using the simple Flory–Huggins expression with an interaction parameter χ = ?3. Finally, the MMNO-rich part of the melting point/composition diagram of the quasiternary MMNO–H₂O–cellulose system is constructed and discussed.     

Crystalline-amorphous interaction in relation to the phase diagrams of binary polymer blends containing a crystalline constituent

The present article describes an equilibrium theory for determining binary phase diagrams of various crystalline-amorphous polymer blends by taking into account the contributions from both liquid-liquid phase separation between the constituents and solid-liquid phase transition of the crystalline component. An analytical expression for determining a crystal-amorphous interaction parameter is deduced based on the solid-liquid transition, involving the solidus and liquidus lines in conjunction with the coexistence curve of an upper critical solution temperature type. Of particular importance is that the crystalline-amorphous interaction parameter can be determined directly from the melting point depression data. The present analysis is therefore different from the conventional Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, which is associated with the liquid-liquid phase separation. The validity of the present theory is tested with the experimental phase diagrams of blends of poly(ethylene oxide)/diacrylate and poly(vinyl alcohol)/cellulose.     

Thermoanalysis of binary condensed eutectic phases evincing molecular interactions

This article discusses the thermoanalytical model developed in the current work to study the influence of the molecular interactions between binary condensed eutectic phases in terms of excess thermodynamic functions that exhort the ability of providing quantitative idea of the interactions. Non-ideality of binary eutectic systems over the entire range of mole fraction composition is ascertained by subjecting the experimentally determined solidus?Cliquidus equilibrium data to thermodynamic analysis and thereby, apprehending quantitative idea about the nature of molecular interactions. The estimation of molecular interactions model of binary naphthalene?Co-nitrophenol, ??-naphthol?Cnaphthalene, diphenylamine?C??-naphthol, benzil?Cdiphenyl, acenaphthene?Cantimonytrichloride and cadmium?Cbismuth eutectic systems authenticates the reliability of the excess functions, since the mixing of the eutectic phases either side of solidus?Cliquidus equilibrium curves of the systems is found to follow the criteria of spontaneity and Planck formulation S?=?klnw; where S, k and w, respectively, are the configurational entropy, Boltzmann constant and complexion number of constituent phase molecules. Moreover, the Guggenheim lattice theory applied to solidus mixtures at their liquidus temperatures offers supporting evidence to the essence of the excess functions and hence the thermomolecular interactions model.     

Hydration of l-tyrosine in aqueous medium. An experimental and theoretical study by mixed quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics methods

Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations were carried out in order to study the theoretical structures of l-tyrosine in both gas phase and in aqueous solution and observe the changes that occur on the structural and vibrational properties in two phases. Therefore, the molecule was characterized by infrared and Raman spectroscopy in solid phase and aqueous solution. Optimized geometries and relative stabilities for the zwitterion l-tyrosine derivatives have been calculated taking into account the solvent effects by using the self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) theory. For a complete assignment of the IR and Raman spectra of l-tyrosine in solid and aqueous solution phases, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were combined with Pulay's scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQMFF) methodology in order to fit the theoretical wavenumber values to the experimental ones. A good agreement between theoretical and available experimental results is found.     

CsF-RbF二元系相图

采用支持向量机(SVM)-原子参数模式识别法, 对75个一价金属同阴离子卤化物二元体系固溶体形成规律进行了研究, 根据研究结果, 预测CsF-RbF体系应形成固溶体. 用差热分析法重新测定了该体系的相图, 结果表明, 该体系为液固相连续互溶, 没有最低点和最高点的固溶体体系, 与文献中的热力学计算结果一致.     

On the structure of the melting diagrams of quaternary systems

Topological and geometric images of invariant and monovariant reactions with the participation of melt in quaternary systems were presented. A network of invariant points and monovariant lines characterizes the structure of the liquidus hypersurface. Each invariant reaction produces an association of four solid phases, which is an element of the solidus hypersurface. Its topology is conveniently described by a graph of adjacency of tetrahedra that partition the composition tetrahedron of a system with a given set of binary, ternary, and quaternary compounds. It was demonstrated that it is possible to construct a spatial network of invariant points and monovariant lines on the liquidus hypersurface using the tetrahedron incidence graph with consideration for the phase reactions occurring in the system.     

Solvent-induced shifts in electronic spectra of uracil

Highly accurate excitation spectra are predicted for the low-lying n-π* and π-π* states of uracil for both the gas phase and in water employing the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and multiconfigurational quasidegenerate perturbation theory (MCQDPT) methods. Implementation of the effective fragment potential (EFP) solvent method with CASSCF and MCQDPT enables the prediction of highly accurate solvated spectra, along with a direct interpretation of solvent shifts in terms of intermolecular interactions between solvent and solute. Solvent shifts of the n-π* and π-π* excited states arise mainly from a change in the electrostatic interaction between solvent and solute upon photoexcitation. Polarization (induction) interactions contribute about 0.1 eV to the solvent-shifted excitation. The blue shift of the n-π* state is found to be 0.43 eV and the red shift of the π-π* state is found to be -0.26 eV. Furthermore, the spectra show that in solution the π-π* state is 0.4 eV lower in energy than the n-π* state.     

Phase equilibria and some properties of solid solutions in the Tl5Te3-Tl9BiTe6-Tl5Te2Cl system

Phase equilibria in the Tl₅Te₃-Tl₉BiTe6-Tl₅Te₂Cl system were studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray powder diffraction, and measurements of microhardness and also emf of concentration circuits with reference to a thallium electrode. A number of polythermal sections, the isothermal sections of the phase diagram at 760 and 800 K, and projections of the liquidus and solidus surfaces were constructed. It was shown that the system is characterized by the formation of unlimited solid solutions with the Tl₅Te₃ structure. The concentration dependences of the crystal lattice parameters, microhardness, and emf in the solid solutions were described.     

Phase equilibria and some properties of solid solutions in the Tl5Te3-Tl9BiTe6-Tl5Te2Br system

Phase equilibria in the Tl₅Te₃-Tl₉BiTe₆-Tl₅Te₂Br system were studied by differential thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and measurements of microhardness and also emf relative to a thallium electrode. Polythermal and isothermal sections of the phase diagram at 760 and 800 K, and projections of the liquidus and solidus surfaces were constructed. The unit cell parameters, microhardness, and emf in the alloys were described as functions of concentration. The system is characterized by the formation of complete solid solutions with the Tl₅Te₃ structure.     

Thermophysical property determination of high temperature alloys by thermal analysis

Differential scanning calorimetric measurements to determine solidus and liquidus temperatures and latent heat of fusion of two high temperature materials, PWA1484 and an experimental gamma titanium aluminide alloy, are presented. The solidus and liquidus temperatures of PWA1484 are 1340 and 1404°C. The solidus and liquidus temperatures of the titanium aluminide alloy are 1453 and 1522°C. Solidus and liquidus temperatures determined from actual heating and cooling curves, which were measured using imbedded thermocouples and analyzed by a pseudo-differential thermal analysis technique are found to be in good agreement with the differential scanning calorimetric measurements. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of acrylate arm topology on phase diagrams of mixtures of multiarm acrylate photocurative monomers and nematic liquid crystals

Phase equilibria of binary mixtures of liquid crystal and multiarm star acrylate derivatives have been established as a function of the number of acrylate arms by means of cloud point determination. Equilibrium phase diagrams of liquid crystal/multiarm acrylate derivatives have been calculated self-consistently in the framework of combined Flory-Huggins free energy of liquid-liquid demixing and Maier-Saupe free energy of nematic ordering. It was found experimentally that the phase diagram of the branched/star molecule/solvent shifts to elevated temperatures with an increasing number of acrylate arms. This movement of the coexistence line is attributed to the architectural effect contributing to the athermal entropic part of the chi interaction parameter. The present self-consistent solution has been tested satisfactorily with the observed phase diagrams of liquid crystal/acrylate systems.     

Strengths of hydrogen bonds involving phosphorylated amino acid side chains

Post-translational phosphorylation plays a key role in regulating protein function. Here, we provide a quantitative assessment of the relative strengths of hydrogen bonds involving phosphorylated amino acid side chains (pSer, pAsp) with several common donors (Arg, Lys, and backbone amide groups). We utilize multiple levels of theory, consisting of explicit solvent molecular dynamics, implicit solvent molecular mechanics, and quantum mechanics with a self-consistent reaction field treatment of solvent. Because the approximately 6 pKa of phosphate suggests that -1 and -2 charged species may coexist at physiological pH, hydrogen bonds involving both protonated and deprotonated phosphates for all donor-acceptor pairs are considered. Multiple bonding geometries for the charged-charged interactions are also considered. Arg is shown to be capable of substantially stronger salt bridges with phosphorylated side chains than Lys. A pSer hydrogen-bond acceptor tends to form more stable interactions than a pAsp acceptor. The effect of phosphate protonation state on the strengths of the hydrogen bonds is remarkably subtle, with a more pronounced effect on pAsp than on pSer.     

Thermodynamics of perfect polymer fibers in tension: stress-induced enantiotropic phase transitions

The principles of the thermodynamic fusion theory [Smith Jr, KJ. Comp. Theor. Poly. Sci. 1997;7:139] are applied to solid–solid phase transitions affected by stress. Only perfect fibers of finite molecular weight polymers are considered. Transitions of one crystal form to another involves stretching work as well as that of constant force transition; the necessary equation is cast into an experimentally accessible form. Fiber volume and entropy are shown to pass through, respectively, a maximum and minimum as tensile force increases. Recovery of both the undeformed values is interpreted as the necessary criteria of phase transition under stress. The fundamental, Flory–Gee equation of phase equilibrium is integrated rigorously. Applications to actual fibers are deferred until sufficient empirical data is available.     

Nonextensive mean-field theory for ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal phases

Ferroelectric ordering in a nematic liquid crystal system is described using nonextensive thermostatistics. We use a mean-field potential, including effective potentials for both axial and polar interactions. By using a self-consistent numerical analysis, a complete q-dependent phase diagram is obtained as a function of the axial and polar interaction potential strengths. The phase transition behaviours and the generalized angular orientational distribution function of the molecules were investigated by studying the dependence of the polar and the axial order parameters on the reduced temperature for various values of the entropic index. This study can provide basic information to further detailed theoretical studies of molecular interactions.     

Phase behavior predictions for polymer blends containing reversibly associating endgroups

A mean field model is developed to predict how polymer–polymer miscibility changes if polymers are functionalized with noncovalent, reversibly binding endgroups. The free-energy model is based on the Flory–Huggins mixing theory and has been modified using Painter's association model to account for equilibrium self-association of endgroups. Model input parameters include the length of polymer chains, a temperature-dependent interaction parameter, and a temperature-dependent equilibrium constant for each type of associating endgroup. The analysis is applied to 12 possible blend combinations involving self-complementary interactions and seven combinations involving hetero-complementary [i.e. donor–acceptor (DA)] interactions. Combinations involve both monofunctional and telechelic associating chains. Predicted phase diagrams illustrate how self-complementary interactions can stabilize two-phase regions and how DA interactions can stabilize single phase regions. The model is a useful tool in understanding the delicate balance between the combinatorial entropy of mixing polymer chains, the repulsive interactions between dissimilar polymers, and the additional enthalpic and entropic changes due to end-group association of chain ends. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 3285–3299, 2007