Pressure–volume–temperature data and surface tension of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl acrylate) in the melt

The pressure–volume–temperature behavior of miscible blends of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) was studied over extended ranges of temperature and pressure. From pressure–volume–temperature data, the reduction parameters for the Flory-Orwoll-Vrij equation-of-state were determined. It was found that reduction parameters as well as density, thermal expansion coefficient, and isothermal compressibility vary with composition in a nonlinear manner. The surface tension of the blends in the molten state was measured over the whole composition range using the sessile drop method. The surface tension was found to display negative deviation from additivity pointing toward a remarkable surface excess of PMA. Moreover, surface tension displays a minimum in the range of low PEO content at weight fraction of ∼0.19. In addition, the temperature coefficient of surface tension shows negative deviation from linearity. It stays constant when PMA is in excess. Results are discussed in terms of equation-of-state thermodynamics. The minimum of surface tension can be well explained by weak self-association of PEO in the bulk. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1893–1900, 2010