PVT properties of linear and dendritic polymers

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the limits of applicability of the Simha-Somcynsky (S-S) equation of state (EOS) by comparing the pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) data and the derivatives (compressibility, κ, and thermal expansion coefficient, α) of anionic linear polystyrene (PS) with poly(benzyl ether) dendrimers (PBED). Fitting the PVT of PBED data to the S-S EOS was similarly satisfactory as that of PS and the computed Lennard-Jones (L-J) interaction parameters showed similar errors of ca. 1%. Next, the experimental derivatives, α and κ of PS and PBED were compared with these functions computed from the S-S EOS—good agreement was obtained for α at ambient pressure, P, indicating validity of the S-S theory at least up to the first derivative. While the predicted κ = κ(P) dependence for PS and a linear PBED homologue was correct, for dendrimers the compressibility was higher at low pressure and it was lower at high P than theory predicts. Also the extracted values of the L-J repulsion volume, v*, between a segment pair was smaller than expected. The specific architecture of dendrimer molecules is responsible for this behavior, since their 3D configuration is significantly different from the S-S model with uniform segmental density and oxygen bonds in the main and side chains add flexibility. © 2009 NRC Canada. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 322–332, 2010