Experimental study of polymer interactions in a bad solvent

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Abstract
The interactions between polymer chains in a bad solvent (polystyrene-cyclohexane at temperatures lower than 35 °C) was studied using light scattering intensity measurements. The results obtained in dilute solutions show that the demixing concentration CD is related to the second virial coefficient A 2 of the osmotic pressure. Using the reduced variables predicted by mean-field or scaling theories the demixion curves are dependent on M w, the molecular weight. Empirically, it is found that CD/C c and A2/Ac2 are only functions of Tc - T/Tc × M0.31w . Cc and Ac2 are the critical concentration and the second virial coefficient at the critical temperature Tc