ESTIMATION OF INTERACTION ENERGIES BY THE CRITICAL MOLECULAR-WEIGHT METHOD .1. BLENDS WITH POLYCARBONATES

The interaction energies between PS, Palpha-MS, and PMMA with several bisphenol-A-based polycarbonates were quantitatively determined from oligomer/oligomer, oligomer/homopolymer, and homopolymer/copolymer blends. Interaction energies were calculated from the Flory-Huggins theory and the Sanchez-Lacombe equation of state theory using experimental cloud points or miscibility boundaries. Alkyl addition to the phenyl rings of polycarbonate is favorable for miscibility with polystyrene whereas halogenation of the bisphenol connector unit is favorable for miscibility with poly(methyl methacrylate). Interaction energies are quantitatively ranked and described qualitatively in terms of changes in the electronic charge distribution of the polymer repeat units as calculated by SYBYL software. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.