Liquid/Liquid Demixing in the System n-Hexane/Narrowly Distributed Linear Polyethylene

2004

Demixing conditions were measured visually for solutions of three narrowly distributed polyethylene samples (M ranging from 6.5 to 380 kg/mol) in n-hexane up to 500 K and 150 bar. This information yields the critical line for infinite molar mass; i.e., it specifies the pT area within which one is safe from phase separation irrespective of the molar mass of the polymer and of the composition of the mixture. The experimental findings are in good qualitative agreement with the predictions of the Sanchez−Lacombe theory applied without any adjustable parameters. The influences of molar masses are, however, underestimated, and the resulting critical compositions are too small. For a more quantita…