Phase transition—molecular weight

EXAMPLES PHASE TRANSITIONS-MOLECULAR WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP... 

In summary, T j, gives a truer approximation to a valid equilibrium parameter, although it will be less than T owing to the finite dimensions of the crystal and the finite molecular weight of the polymer. We shall deal with these considerations in the next section. For now we assume that a value for T has been obtained and consider the simple thermodynamics of a phase transition. 

Colloidal State. The principal outcome of many of the composition studies has been the delineation of the asphalt system as a colloidal system at ambient or normal service conditions. This particular concept was proposed in 1924 and described the system as an oil medium in which the asphaltene fraction was dispersed. The transition from a coUoid to a Newtonian Hquid is dependent on temperature, hardness, shear rate, chemical nature, etc. At normal service temperatures asphalt is viscoelastic, and viscous at higher temperatures. The disperse phase is a micelle composed of the molecular species that make up the asphaltenes and the higher molecular weight aromatic components of the petrolenes or the maltenes (ie, the nonasphaltene components). Complete peptization of the micelle seems probable if the system contains sufficient aromatic constituents, in relation to the concentration of asphaltenes, to allow the asphaltenes to remain in the dispersed phase. 

Polymer-Fluid Equilibria and the Glass Transition Most polymer systems fall in the Class HI or Class V phase diagrams, and the same system can often change from one class into the other as the polymer s molecular weight changes. Most polymers are insoluble in CO9 below 100°C, yet CO9 can be quite sohible in the polymer. For example, the sorption of CO9 into silicone rubber is highly dependent upon temperature and pressure, since these properties have a large influence on the density and activity of CO9. 

Figure 18 Molecular weight dependencies of the phase transition temperature (T,) from orthorhombic to hexagonal phase and the melting temperature Tm) of the hexagonal phase of PE. O = phase transition from orthorhombic to hexagonal phase A A = melting of the hexagonal phase. (From Ref. 131.)...

Preparation and thermal crosslinking reactions of oc, -vinylbenzyl terminated polysulfone-b-polydimethylsiloxane, ABA type block copolymers have been discussed 282,313) However, relatively little characterization was reported. Molecular weights of polysulfone and PDMS segments in the copolymers were varied between 800-8,000 and 500-11,000 g/mole, respectively. After thermal curing, the networks obtained showed two phase morphologies as indicated by the detection of two glass transition temperatures (—123 °C and +200 °C) corresponding to PDMS and polysulfone phases, respectively. No mechanical characterization data were provided. 

The induction of anaerobic treatment synthesis occurs in two phases. During the first few hours of anaerobic treatment there is a transition period during which there is a rapid increase in the synthesis of a class of polypeptides with an approximate molecular weight of 33 kDa (Fig. 3). These have, been referred to as the transition polypeptides (TPs) as they represent most of the protein synthesis occurring in early anaerobiosis. 

In a subsequent study, the effect of reducing the ELP molecular weight on the expression and purification of a fusion protein was investigated. Two ELPs, ELP [V-20] and ELP[VsA2G3-90], both with a transition temperature at 40°C in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing 1 M NaCl, were applied for the purification of thioredoxin. Similar yields were observed for both fusion proteins, resulting in a higher thioredoxin yield for the ELP[V-20] fusion, since the ELP fraction was smaller. However, a more complex phase transition behavior was observed for this ELP and therefore a selection of an appropriate combination of salt concentration and solution temperature was required [39]. 

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