Quantitative analysis of the calorimetric parameters associated with the temperature induced aggregation of aqueous solutions of polyoxypropylene

High sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (HSDSC)—coupled with the application of a previously outlined thermodynamic model [Patterson et al., Langmuir 13 (1997) 2219]—has been used to the obtain thermodynamic parameters that characterise thermal aggregation in aqueous solutions of polyoxypropylene (POP) of molecular mass 1000 g mol⁻¹ over a range of concentrations (2.5–51.5 g dm⁻³). An important aspect of the derived thermodynamic values, which complements previously reported HSDSC data [Armstrong et al., J. Phys. Chem. 99 (1995) 4590], is the elaboration of heat capacity changes which accompany the aggregation transition. The concentration dependence of the POP thermodynamic data, obtained in this investigation, has been established. These observations provide the means for establishing functional relationships between enthalpy and temperature as well as heat capacity and temperature. The parameters describing the quadratic relationship between enthalpy change associated with aggregation and temperature are in close agreement with those describing the linear relationship between heat capacity change and temperature.