Light-scattering studies on polystyrenes in isorefractive poly(methyl methacrylate)–toluene “solvents”

The rms radii of gyration 〈S²〉^1/2 and second virial coefficients Γ₂ of five monodisperse polystyrenes (M × 10^?5 = 1.6, 2.8, 4.2, 6.6) were measured in isorefractive toluene–poly(methyl methacrylate) (M?_v = 4.0 × 10⁴, 1.6 × 10⁵, and 6.3 × 10⁵) “solvents.” For a given PMMA, the concentration at which the θ condition (defined by Γ₂ = 0) was reached was independent of PS molecular weight, but varied inversely with PMMA molecular weight (0.10, 0.056, and 0.023 g/mL, respectively). When this θ condition is reached by adding PMMA to toluene, the radii of gyration are decreased by only about 15%, much less than when it is reached by going to a poor, low-molecular-weight solvent. This reflects the exclusion of PMMA from the PS coils, the internal environment of which is essentially pure toluene.