II.11  Liquid/liquid and liquid/crystal phase separation.
(Value 1 quiz grade due Tuesday December 6)

A 7 page report.
    The last stage of polymerization can involve separation of a polymer from a solution.  We also looked at Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) phase separation in a PVME/water solution.  This project involves writing a report on liquid/liquid phase separation in polymer/solvent systems.  In the report you should define the terms: 

1) Solute,

2) Solvent,

3) Solution,

4) Non-solvent,

5) Precipitation,

6) Solvation,

7) Phase Diagram,

8) Phase Separation,

9) the Solubility Parameter, d,

10) the theta temperature, q,

11) the Polymer/Solvent Interaction Parameter, c₁₂,

12) the Flory Huggins Equation,

13) a Tie Line, LCST,

14) Upper Critical Solution Temperature (UCST) and

15) Crystallization from Solution. 

You should describe the relationship between the Flory-Huggins Equation and a simple LCST phase diagram, that is, how can the phase diagram be calculated using the Flory-Huggins equation?  You should also note the difference (if any) between precipitation of a polymer by crystallization from solution and precipitation by liquid/liquid phase separation. 

You will, most likely, need to get a book on introduction to polymer science such as P. C. Heimenz Polymer Chemistry, P. C. Heimenz Principles of Colloid and Surface Chemistry, Flory's "Principles of Polymer Chemistry", Joel Fried's intro book, L. Sperling's Introduction to Physical Polymer Science, Young and Lovell's book (perhaps) or other books.  I don't think you can totally rely on the web for this paper but you can also glance at other classes of mine such as polymer morphology and polymer properties/physics and polymer characterization at http://www.eng.uc.edu/~gbeaucag/BeaucageResearchGroup.html.

This report is due at the final, the subject will not be directly on the final but will certainly be of use in future classes on polymers.