Polymer-polymer interaction parameters via melting point depression. A critical analysis

Abstract

The procedures used to extract polymer-polymer interaction parameters (χ) from melting point data are critically reviewed and the reliability of derived χ values in different situations are commented. Measurement of accurate experimental melting points is an underappreciated problem and has a major impact on the reliability of extrapolated equilibrium melting points, from which χ is calculated. Example calculations illustrate that great caution must be exercised before interaction parameters derived from this method can be considered as reliable