Application of the Sanchez-Lacombe lattice fluid theory to the system pvme/ps and model calculations

Cloud point curves reported in the literature for five representatives of the system poly(vinyl methyl ether)/polystyrene were evaluated theoretically by means of the Sanchez-Lacombe lattice fluid theory. The measured phase separation behavior can be described within experimental error using only one adjustable parameter (quantifying the interaction between the unlike mers). The Flory-Huggins interaction parameters calculated from this theoretical description depend in good approximation linearly on composition (volume fractions) and on the inverse temperature. An evaluation of these data yields a maximum heat effect which is almost one order of magnitude less (ca. -0.25 J/cm(3)) than obtained via Hess's cycle (dissolution of the components and of the blend) from calorimetric measurements. Model calculations on the basis of the present theory demonstrate that the critical points shift to a different extent upon a certain relative change in the molar mass of the blend components. The sensitivity of the calculated phase diagrams against changes in the scaling parameter decreases in the following order: interaction energies between unlike mers, differences in the scaling temperatures, pressures and densities.

GAMMA-RADIATION INDUCED CROSS-LINKED PEO-LICLO4 SOLID-ELECTROLYTE SYSTEM

Aimed at raising the room temperature ionic conductivity of PEO-based solid polymer electrolyte and considered that the ionic conduction preferentially occurs in the amorphous phase, we lightly crosslinked the high MW PEO through gamma-irradiation and further suppressed the residual crystallinity by plasticizing with propylene carbonate. By incorporating LiClO4 salt to the above described polymer host, the ambient (25 degrees C) ionic conductivity of the electrolyte system could reach as high as 6.8 X 10(-4) S/cm. As the electrolyte was a crosslinked system, it was mechanically self-supportable. Based on the preliminary results of the electrochemical performance of the secondary lithium battery, assembled by using this kind of solid electrolyte and polyaniline as positive electrode, it is realized that the electrolyte thus prepared is of high expectancy.

Preparation of porous chitosan/agarose microsphere and its R-phycoerythrin release properties

The chitosan microspheres (CS-CL) were prepared by suspension crosslinking method and used as carriers of R-phycoerythrin (R-PE). In this study, R-PE was loaded in the microspheres and released in vitro. The effects of pH value, temperature, ionic strength, and R-PE concentration on loading efficiency and release behavior were discussed. A novel microsphere that contained agarose (CS-AR MP) was prepared and the basic loading and releasing behavior for R-PE of this kind of new micro-spheres were also investigated. The results showed that all these chitosan microspheres have the ability to control-release R-PE. The addition of agarose may somewhat accelerate the release rate of R-PE from microspheres and reduce the capacity of adsorption for R-PE. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.