Polymer Solutions

Abstract

A solution is any phase containing more than one component. It may be a gas, liquid or a solid. The thermodynamics of polymers in solutions is one of the major topics in the science and technology of polymers. The usefulness of a polymer in a specified environment may be limited by its physical and chemical stability. Mild, local swelling in a stressed polymer may lead to a very pronounced decrease in fracture toughness, a phenomenon referred to as environmental stress cracking. The swelling by solvents of higher solvent power is more extensive and may lead to softening and ultimately to dissolution. Solutions of polymers are used in several important applications, e.g. adhesives and coatings. The classical analyses of polymers are conducted on dilute solutions, e.g. size exclusion chromatography, osmometry, viscometry and light scattering. Much of the knowledge about polymers has been obtained by work conducted on solutions.