Cosolvent effect on the phase behavior for the poly(benzyl acrylate) and poly(benzyl methacrylate) in supercritical carbon dioxide and dimethyl ether

Abstract

Experimental cloud-point data up to 433.2 K and 193.0 MPa are reported for binary and ternary mixtures of poly(benzyl methacrylate) [poly(BzMA)] + carbon dioxide + benzyl methacrylate (BzMA) and poly(benzyl acrylate) [Poly(BzA)] + carbon dioxide + benzyl acrylate (BzA) systems. High-pressure cloud-point data are also reported for Poly(BzMA) + carbon dioxide and Poly(BzA) + carbon dioxide in supercritical dimethyl ether (DME). Cloud-point behavior for the Poly(BzMA) + carbon dioxide + BzMA system was measured in changes of the pressure–temperature ( p– T) slope, and with BzMA weight fraction of 50.6, 61.0, 67.2 and 95.0 wt.%. The Poly(BzA) + carbon dioxide + 30.4, 40.7 and 49.4 wt.% BzA systems change the ( p– T) curve from upper critical solution temperature region (UCST) to lower critical solution temperature (LCST) region as the BzA concentration increases. With 52.3 wt.% BzA to the Poly(BzA) + carbon dioxide solution, the cloud-point curves are taken on the appearance of a typical lower critical solution temperature boundary. Also, the impact by cosolvent (BzMA and BzA) concentrations for the Poly(BzMA) + DME and Poly(BzA) + DME systems is measured at temperature to 453.2 K and pressure range of 24.6–61.3 MPa.