Superposition in Flory-Huggins χ and Interfacial Tension for Compressible Polymer Blends.

Abstract

We investigate theoretically the response of interfacial tension γ for compressible polymer blends to thermodynamic variables. Helfand's self-consistent field theory is first extended to be combined with an off-lattice equation-of-state model to describe compressibility. Typical incompatible blends reveal that the effects of temperature and pressure (T-P) on γ are superposed into a single curve by a dimensionless pressure variable through the superposition in Flory-Huggins χ and density. In the case of polymer blends with strong compressibility difference, γ shows an anomaly upon pressurization with no T-P superposition, even though χ still follows the superposition.