Document DOI: 10.1209/epl/i1998-00263-9
Europhys. Lett, 42 (4), pp. 407-412 (1998)
Flow-induced phase separation in polymer solutions
K. de Moel 1, E. Flikkema 1, I. Szleifer 2 and G. ten Brinke 1
1 Department of Polymer Chemistry and the Material Science Centre
University of Groningen
- Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
2 Department of Chemistry, Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
(received 7 November 1997; accepted in final form 25 March 1998)
PACS. 36.20Ey - Conformation (statistics and dynamics).
PACS. 64.70Ja - Liquid-liquid transitions.
PACS. 83.50Jf - Extensional and combined flows.
Abstract:
A correct description of phase behaviour in polymer solutions requires a coupling between configurational statistics and thermodynamics. The effect of flow-induced chain deformation on the polymer-solvent interaction energy depends on the concentration and on the polymer architecture. It will be demonstrated, using thermodynamic arguments, that for linear polymers this may give rise to a large flow-induced demixing. For more complex architectures such as ring polymers and branched polymers, a maximum in the critical temperature vs. flow rate is predicted.
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