Solubility of propylene in semicrystalline polypropylene

Abstract

Gas solubilities and polymer swelling in propylene and semicrystalline polypropylene system at temperatures of 323.2 and 348.2 K and pressures up to propylene's vapor pressure were measured. Pressure, specific volume, and temperature (PVT) measurements of polypropylene were carried out at temperatures from 313 to 573 K and pressures up 200 MPa. Two kinds of polypropylenes, which had different stereoregularities, were used for both solubility and PVT measurements. The solubilities were correlated with the Sanchez–Lacombe equation of state (EOS) with temperature-dependent binary interaction parameters to within 5% average relative percentage deviation. Swelling ratios estimated with Sanchez–Lacombe EOS coupled with optimized interaction parameters were 20% lower than the experimental values. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 1134–1143, 2001