Polymer-diluent mixtures temperature dependence

The analysis of dependence of melting temperature on plasticizer content in the range in which PLA and acetyl tri-n-hutyl citrate (ATBC) are miscible gives indications of polymer-plasticizer interactions (Baiardo et al, 2003). The Flory (1953) equation fits well for miscible polymer-diluent mixtures ... 

DVB were valid in this system as well. These concern the dependence of surface area and pore volume on the amount of diluent and cross-linker. The surface area increases with the amount of EDMA and goes through a maximum with increasing amount of diluent. Using cyclohexanol-dodecanol as a solvent-non-solvent pair, the factors of importance for the structure and morphology of the polymers were studied by experimental design [34]. In these experiments the concentration of the diluent mixture was varied between 20 and 77% (volume/total volume), the concentration of EDMA between 25 and 100% (volume/monomer volume), the concentration of initiator (AIBN) between 0.2 and 4% (w/w), the concentration of non-solvent (dodecanol), between 0 and 15% (v/v) and the polymerisation temperature between 70° and 90°C. The surface area (determined by nitrogen sorption), pore volume (determined by mercury porosimetry) (see Section 2.11.6.) and the mechanical properties were chosen as responses. 

According to Eq. (3.2) the depression of the melting temperature depends on the volume fraction of diluent in the mixture, its molar volume and the thermodynamic interaction between polymer and diluent. The melting point depression is a colligative property. Therefore, as Eq. (3.2) indicates the depression will be larger with diluents of smaller molar volume. It is also expected that the larger the value... 

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