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Polymers – Solvent Swelling and Interactions

The interaction of polymers with solvents is a key to understanding their performance. Dissolution, swelling and sorption may all occur when organic solvents or water are exposed to many common polymeric materials. Surface Measurement Systems have extensive experience in understanding polymer-solvent interactions.

The diffusion of solvent molecules into polymers can be measured rapidly and accurately by IGC at any solute vapour concentration. Using the same methods, solubility parameters are directly related to the cohesive energy density of a material. The latter is a measure of the strength of interaction between molecules or atoms, therefore, solubility parameters are related to stability and other physical properties. Inverse Gas Chromatography provides a fast and reliable route for the measurement of these parameters. This paper describes the determination of the Hildebrandt solubility parameter of PMMA.

Application Note 206: Determination of the Dispersive Surface Energy of Paracetamol by Pulse Inverse Gas Chromatography at Infinite Dilution | Request a copy

Application Note 218: The Determination of the Hilldebrandt Solubility Parameter of Polymethyl Methacrylate by Infinite Dilution Inverse Gas Chromatography | Request a copy

Solubility parameters are directly related to the cohesive energy density of a material and are a measure for the strength of interaction between molecules and atoms; therefore, the solubility parameter can be used to predict the stability of food ingredients, polymers, drugs or excipients. Inverse Gas Chromatography provides a fast and sensitive route for the measurement of this parameter. This paper describes the determination of the solubility parameter of starch measured by water at infinite dilution.

Application Note 205: The Determination of the Solubility Parameter of Different Starch Types by Infinite Dilution Inverse Gas Chromatography
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Application Note 503: TWater Vapor Induced Mesoporous Structure Collapse Observed by GenRH with Mcell and FT-IR
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