Interactions in mixtures of PVC with methyl methacrylate/butyl acrylate statistical copolymers

Molecular interactions were studied in mixtures of PVC with the title copolymers P(MMA-stat-BA) in relation to temperature. The polymers were compatible over the whole composition range examined. The mixtures showed the lower critical solution temperatures (LCST). The MMA-rich mixtures were thermodynamically the more stable and had the higher LCST-values. Thermally induced separation of phases was studied by optical microscopy. Individual segmental interaction parameters chi(ij) were evaluated. Viscosimetric (mu-parameter) data proved less conclusive than microscopic data for establishing the miscibility range.