Intrinsic viscosity of flexible macromolecules : transition from theta to collapsed state

Abstract

Intrinsic viscosity measurements have been performed on polystyrene-cyclohexane system as a function of temperature T (T ≲ θ and as a function of molecular weight (8.2 x 10 4 ≤ Mw ≤ 2.06 x 107) .The expansion factor α3 η = [η]/[ηθ] of the intrinsic viscosity [η] scales with the reduced variable (T — θ/T) · ∫M w. For (T—θ/T) º √Mw ≲ — 40, the intrinsic viscosity of a collapsed macromolecule is found to be independent of molecular weight A value ν = 1/3 is therefore given to the index relating size to molecular weight