Studies on the viscosity behavior of polymer solutions at low concentrations

Interaction between Polymeric Additives and Secondary Fluids in Capillary Suspensions

Capillary suspensions are ternary systems including a solid and two liquid phases representing a novel formulation platform for pastes with unique processing and end-use properties. Here we have investigated aqueous suspensions of non-Brownian graphite particles including different polymers commonly used as thickening agents or binders in paste formulations. We have studied the interaction between these additives and organic solvents in order to elucidate its effect on the characteristic formation of a particle network structure in corresponding ternary capillary suspension systems. Organic solvents with different polarity have been employed, and in the presence of nonadsorbing poly(ethylene oxide), all of them, whether they preferentially wet the graphite surface or not, induce the formation of a network structure within the suspension as indicated by a strong change in rheological properties. However, when the adsorbing polymers carboxymethylcellulose and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) are included, the drastic change in rheological behavior occurs only when polar organic solvents are used as secondary liquids. Obviously, these solvents can form pendular bridges, finally resulting in a sample-spanning particle network. Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy provides evidence that these polar liquids remove the adsorbed polymer from the graphite particles. In contrast, nonpolar and nonwetting solvents do not force polymer desorption. In these cases, the formation of a percolating network structure within the suspensions is presumably prevented by the strong steric repulsion among graphite particles, not allowing for the formation of particle clusters encapsulating the secondary liquid. Accordingly, polymeric additives and secondary fluids have to be carefully selected in capillary suspension formulations, then offering a new pathway to customize paste formulations. The polymer may serve to adjust an appropriate viscosity level, and the capillary bridging induces the desired degree of shear thinning. Alternatively, the polymer may be selected with respect to its binding properties in the final dry product, and capillary bridging may be used to control the flow and processing behavior of the wet paste.

Viscosity Measurements of Dilute Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) Aqueous Solutions Near Theta Temperature Analyzed within the Joint Rouse-Zimm Model

The steady-state shear viscosity of low-concentrated Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEOX) aqueous solutions is measured near the presumed theta temperature using the falling ball viscometry technique. The experimental data are analyzed within the model that joins the Rouse and Zimm bead-spring theories of the polymer dynamics at the theta condition, which means that the polymer coils are considered to be partially permeable to the solvent. The polymer characteristics thus depend on the draining parameterhthat is related to the strength of the hydrodynamic interaction between the polymer segments. The Huggins coefficient was found to be 0.418 at the temperature 20°C, as predicted by the theory. This value corresponds toh= 2.92, contrary to the usual assumption of the infiniteh. This result indicates that the theta temperature for the PEOX water solutions is 20°C rather than 25°C in the previous studies. The experimental intrinsic viscosity is well described coming from the Arrhenius equation for the shear viscosity.

Ionic polymers based on quaternized polysulfones: hydrodynamic properties of polymer mixtures in solution

Hydrodynamic properties developed in a series of mixtures, obtained from quaternized polysulfone and cellulose acetate phthalate or polyvinyl alcohol in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, were evaluated by viscometric investigations. Theoretical and experimental aspects concerning the viscometric data for binary polymer/solvent and ternary polymer/polymer/solvent mixtures have been discussed by the new Wolf model, as a function of the charge density of polyion, structural peculiarity of polymers, and polymer mixture composition. Intrinsic viscosity and also the hydrodynamic parameters obtained by the Wolf method offer new information on the competition between different types of interactions manifested in ternary polymer/polymer/solvent systems. The complex dependence of viscosity on polymer composition is influenced by conformational changes of constituent polymers from the mixture, as well as by cumulative effects of electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding or association phenomena. Additionally, the above-mentioned interactions indicate the compatibility of these polymers over a large composition domain. This study investigates the hydrodynamic functions from the perspective of some newly-issued theories and analyzes the choice of optimal polymer mixtures compositions for specific applications in biomedical domains.

Phase behaviour of a model colloid-polymer mixture at low colloid concentration

The phase behaviour of a colloid-polymer mixture is studied at very low colloid concentrations (below 0.5%). The size ratio between the polymer and the colloidal particles is around 0.09, so that the colloids experience short-range attractions. At these low volume fractions, fluid-crystal coexistence is found at moderate polymer concentrations and the kinetics of crystallization are analyzed by turbidimetry. At higher polymer concentrations, clustering of the particles occurs, but some of them remain in a diluted, gas, phase composed mainly of single particles. These states do not correspond to vapor-liquid coexistence, as shown by studying the density of the gas phase. Strong interactions induce flocculation of the system, producing fractal aggregates with dimension df ≈ 1.8, compatible with diffusion limited cluster aggregation (DLCA). These results are discussed in connection with the phase diagram of colloid-polymer mixtures, obtained at much higher colloid concentrations. For low colloid volume fractions, below ∼0.05%, no clustering of the particles is observed for any polymer concentration.