Ftir study of hydrogen bonding and phase behaviour in poly(vinylpyridines)/poly(ethylene-CO-vinyl alcohol) blends

The specific interactions between polyvinylpyridines and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers of different compositions have been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Hydrogen bonding between both polymer components leads to significant spectral modification in pyridine rings spectral bands. Minor modifications in other spectral modes have been also detected. The spectral results indicate at least three competing equilibria processes in the blends: hydroxyl-hydroxyl copolymer self-association and hydroxyl-pyridine interassociation. Painter-Coleman association model was successfully applied and the phase diagram for these systems has been predicted.