Polymers, liquid interaction applications

Due to their soft matter nature, polymer materials present various types of interactions with solids, liquids, and vapors. As a result, superwetting polymers have been exploited for cell and protein capture, solvent absorption, as well as underwater gas collection. In the following section, we will introduce recent development of polymers in these application fields. " ... 

FIGURE 3.14 Liquid-liquid equilihrium for HDPE with n-alkanols. Lines are simplified PC-SAFT correlations for each of the five solvents (pentanol highest, nonanol lowest). Polymer molecular weight is 20,000. Binary interaction parameters are as follows pentanol 0.0006 hexanol 0.003 heptanol 0.0025 octanol 0.0033 and nonanol 0.0029. (From Fluid Phase Equilib., 222-223, von Sohns, N., Kouskoumvekaki, LA., Lindvig, T., Michelsen, M.L., and Kontogeorgis, G.M., A novel approach to liquid-liquid equilibrium in polymer systems with application to simplified PC-SAFT, 87-93, Copyright 2004, with permission from Elsevier.)... 

Another promising domain of investigation on polymer—surfactant interactions concerns the adsorption behavior at the solid-liquid interface of the different partners of the interaction (i.e., surfactant, polymer, and resulting complex). Increasing effort is devoted in understanding what happens at the solid-liquid interfaces, as numerous commercial applications of polymer-surfactant mixtures are a consequence of their interaction with... 

The concentration regime at which polymer—surfactant interaction is studied. For a low-concentration regime, studies are focused on the mechanism of interaction between the polymer and the surfactant. The adsorption behavior of polymers, surfactants, and their possible resulting complexes at various interfaces (liquid-air, solid-liquid) primarily concern those dilute conditions. On the other hand, the association between polymers and surfactants for high-concentration ranges finds broad practical applications as a consequence of complex phase behaviors [9,11]. 

V. APPLICATIONS OF POLYMER-SURFACTANT INTERACTIONS AT THE SOLID-LIQUID INTERFACE... 

After having considered the structural behavior of single chains we turn now to the collective properties of polymers in bulk phases and discuss in this chapter liquid states of order. Liquid polymers are in thermal equilibrium, so that statistical thermodynamics can be applied. At first view one might think that theoretical analysis presents a formidable problem since each polymer may interact with many other chains. This multitude of interactions of course can create a complex situation, however, cases also exist, where conditions allow for a facilitated treatment. Important representatives for simpler behavior are melts and liquid polymer mixtures, and the basic reason is easy to see As here each monomer encounters, on average, the same surroundings, the chain as a whole experiences in summary a mean field , thus fulfilling the requirements for an application of a well established theoretical scheme, the mean-field treatment . We shall deal with this approach in the second part of this chapter, when discussing the properties of polymer mixtures. 

Ahmad F, Jamil M, Jeon YJ, Woo LJ, Jung JE, Jang JE (2012b) Investigation of nonionic diazo dye doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal film. Bull Mater Sci 35 221-231 Bahadur B (1990) Liquid crystals applications and uses, vol I. World Scientific, Singapore Benmouna F, Dembahri ZB, Benmouna M (2013) Polymerization-induced phase separation phase behavior developments and hydrodynamic interaction. J Macromol Sci Part B Phys 52 998-1008... 

In attempts to develop new process modifiers for thermoplastics, two ionic liquids with long chain hydrophobic cations and different anions were introduced in a biodegradable polymer. Methods of incorporation included melt blending, solvent casting and microencapsulation from w/o/w systems at concentrations up to 10 wt%. The modified polymers were characterized rheologically and by TGA to determine process and thermal stability, respectively, and by DSC to determine miscibility and types of the polymer-ionic liquid interactions. Potential applications in plasticization, lubrication and emulsification are discussed for selected polymer-ionic liquid combinations. 

Electro-optic The liquid crystal plastics exhibit some of the properties of crystalline solids and still flow easily as liquids (Chapter 6). One group of these materials is based on low polymers with strong field interacting side chains. Using these materials, there has developed a field of electro-optic devices whose characteristics can be changed sharply by the application of an electric field. 

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