Flory-Huggins theory

The Flory-Huggins theory for solutions of polymers was developed by Maurice L. Huggins (Ref. 1) and Paul J. Flory (Ref. 2). The Flory-Huggins theory defines the volume of a polymer system as a lattice which is divided into small subspaces (called sites) of the same volume. In the case of polymer solutions, the solvent is assumed to occupy single sites, while each polymer chain occupies Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle n} sites. The repulsive forces in the system are modelled by requiring each lattice site to be occupied by only a single segment. Attractive interactions between non-bonded sites are included at the lattice neighbour level. Assuming random and ideal mixing of two polymers, i.e. mixing volume Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \Delta V_m = 0} , it is possible to obtain the well-known expression for the combinatorial entropy of mixing Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \Delta S_m} per site of the Flory Huggins theory,

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \Delta S_m = -R \left[ \frac{\phi_A}{n_A} \ln \phi_A + \frac{\phi_B}{n_B} \ln \phi_B \right]}

where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \phi_i} is the volume fraction of the component Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle i} and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle n_i} is the number of segments in each type of polymer chain, and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle R} is the molar gas constant. Applying the concept of regular solutions and assuming all pair interactions in the framework of a mean-field theory yields for the enthalpy of mixing

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \Delta H_m = RT \chi \phi_A \phi_B}

where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle T} is the absolute temperature. According to the preceding equations, the Flory-Huggins equation can be expressed in terms of the Gibbs energy function of mixing for a binary system

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \Delta G_m = -RT \left[ \frac{\phi_A}{n_A} \ln \phi_A + \frac{\phi_B}{n_B} \ln \phi_B + \chi \phi_A \phi_B\right]}

where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} is the Flory-Huggins binary interaction parameter, defined as:

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi \approx \epsilon_{ij} - \frac{(\epsilon_{ii}-\epsilon_{jj})}{2} }

where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \epsilon_{ij}} is the net energy associated with two neighbouring lattice sites of the different polymer segments for the same type or for the different types of polymer chains. Although the theory considers Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} as a fixed parameter, experimental data reveal that actually $\chi$ depends on such quantities as temperature, concentration, pressure, molar mass, molar mass distribution. From a theoretical point of view it may also depend on model parameters as the coordination number of the lattice and segment length. The Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} parameter is somewhat similar to a second virial coefficient expressing binary interactions between molecules and, therefore, it usually shows a linear dependence of Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 1/T}

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi(T) = A + \frac{B}{T}}

where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A} and $B$ are assumed to be constants, but can actually depend on density, concentration, molecular weight, etc. A usual interpretation is that Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A} represents an enthalpic quantity and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle B} an entropic contribution, although both Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A} and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle B} are actually empirical parameters.

For polymers of high molecular weight (i.e. Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle n_i \rightarrow \infty} ) the entropic contribution is very small and the miscibility or immiscibility of the system mainly depends on the value of the enthalpy of mixing. In this case, miscibility can only be achieved when Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} is negative. For long polymers, miscibility can only be achieved when Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi < \chi_{cr}} . The Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} parameter at the critical point Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi_{cr}} can be obtained from the definition of the critical point and the Flory-Huggins expression for the free-energy of mixing. The result is

Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi_{cr} = \frac{1}{2} \left[ \frac{1}{\sqrt{n_A}} + \frac{1}{\sqrt{n_B}} \right]^2}

Therefore:

• Positive values of Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} necessarily lead to incompatibility for polymers of high molecular weight.
• Mixing always take place if the Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \chi} parameter is negative.
• For a polymer solution, the critical Flory-Huggins parameter is close to Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 1/2} .

References

1. Maurice L. Huggins "Solutions of Long Chain Compounds", Journal of Chemical Physics 9 pp. 440- (1941)
2. Paul J. Flory "Thermodynamics of High Polymer Solutions", Journal of Chemical Physics 10 pp. 51-61 (1942)