PC-SAFT equation: a predictive tool to determine experimental conditions for polymer blend demixing

RAQUEL MARTINI; MARTÍN CISMONDI; SILVIA BARBOSA; ESTEBAN ALBERTO BRIGNOLE

SEPARATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

Año: 2009 vol. 44 p. 2661 - 2680

0149-6395

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> The perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory equation of state (PC-SAFT) was applied to predict the phase behavior of polymer solutions in order to determine the pressure – temperature region for the high molecular weight polymer blend separation by using n-alkanes at high pressure and high temperature. The polymer blends selected were physical blends of polyethylene (PE)/ polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP) / PS. The miscibility and immiscibility region of each polymer in different alkanes (n-pentane, n-hexane and n-heptane) was studied and, from this analysis, the experimental conditions of the polymer blend demixing were predetermined. The results obtained were validated with experimental data indicating that the PC-SAFT equation is a good tool to predict experimental conditions for the processing windows of polymer blend separation.