Phase behaviour and miscibility window in UCST-type blends of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) and tetramethylbisphenol A oligosulfones

Abstract

Abstract The pressure–volume–temperature (PVT) behaviour of styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) random copolymers and of tetramethylbisphenol A oligosulfones (TMOS) was studied using the Flory–Orwoll–Vrij (FOV) as well as the Sako–Wu–Prausnitz (SWP) equation-of-state (EOS). It was found that the SWP EOS is superior to the FOV theory in describing the PVT behaviour of the polymers, especially in the high-pressure range. Furthermore, blends comprising TMOS and SAN copolymers of varying acrylonitrile content were studied by means of cloud point measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. The system shows pronounced miscibility-window behaviour, i.e. the miscibility depends strongly on the copolymer composition. At the edges of the miscibility window, UCST (upper critical solution temperature) behaviour was observed and discussed in terms of the FOV EOS. The cloud point curves were exceptionally broad and could be reproduced neither by the Flory–Huggins nor by the FOV theory. However, taking the polydispersity of both components into account, the calculation of correct phase diagrams was possible using the FOV theory. Exchange energy parameters between the polymers, XAB, were obtained from fitting the critical points of the phase diagrams. Additionally, segmental exchange energy parameters Xi/j of the components were calculated.