Preferential Solvation in the Ternary System Polystyrene-Benzene-Methanol

Abstract

Abstract The preferential sorption coefficient A in the ternary system polystyrene (3)-benzene (1)-methanol (2) has been determined in dilute solutions by light scattering. A series of linear (especially of low molecular weight) and well defined comb-like and star-shaped polystyrenes has been studied. The solvation is very strongly dependent upon polymer segment density (or volume fraction < v 3 > of polymer inside the coil) where coefficients a and b depend mainly on the thermodynamical interaction parameters, and Λ∞ is the preferential sorption coefficient of polystyrene with an infinite molecular weight. The conclusions of this study have been extended to moderately concentrated polystyrene solutions.