Department of Chemical Engineering, Fukuoka University, 8‐19‐1 Nanakua, Jonan‐ku, Fukuoka 814‐0180 (Japan), Fax: (+81)?91‐865‐6031
Abstract:
Both CO 2 and ethanol are nonsolvents for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at 303 K, but PMMA dissolves in CO2‐expanded ethanol (red spectrum, see figure). The dissolution process consists of swelling of the PMMA by the CO2, which allows the ethanol to penetrate the PMMA and interact with the polymer through carbonyl–hydroxyl hydrogen bonds to separate the polymer chains.
