Mesoscopic Diffusion of Poly(ethylene oxide) in Pure and Mixed Solvents

  • Xiong Zheng
  • , Mikhail A. Anisimov
  • , Jan V. Sengers
  • , Maogang He

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present results from an experimental dynamic light-scattering study of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in both a pure solvent (water) and a mixed solvent (tert-butanol + water). The concentration dependence of the diffusive relaxation of the PEO molecules is found to be typical of polymers in a good solvent. However, the mesoscopic diffusive behavior of PEO in the mixed solvent is very different, indicating an initial collapse and subsequent reswelling of PEO caused by co-nonsolvency. Furthermore, in the solutions of PEO with very large molecular weights, we found additional hydrodynamic modes indicating the presence of PEO clusters and aggregates similar to those found by some other investigators.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3454-3464
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume122
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Apr 2018

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