COPOLYMER BLENDS OF STYRENE AND ORTHO-FLUOROSTYRENE

The traditional method, using differential scanning calorimetry, to study phase behaviour in blends containing styrene and fluorinated styrene is hampered by the fact that the glass transition temperatures of fluorinated polystyrenes are almost independent of the degree of fluorination. To deal with these kinds of systems the enthalpy relaxation method, an alternative thermal analysis procedure, has been developed. Here, we report the application of this method to random copolymer blends involving styrene and ortho-fluorostyrene. Using the binary interaction model the Flory-Huggins chi-parameter between styrene and ortho-fluorostyrene is estimated and compared with previous investigations.