| Abstract: | Films of poly(vinyl chloride) have been cast from solutions of varying thermodynamic quality and the film properties studied by inverse phase gas chromatography. The solvents included tetrahydrofuran, cyclohexanone, and mixtures of toluene with both tetrahydrofuran and cyclohexanone. The solvent composition was followed during evaporation and film formation for the mixed solvents, and it was shown that the slower evaporating solvent component has the greatest effect on the surface properties of the films. The porosity of the polymer film surfaces is interpreted in terms of the mobility of the polymer chains during film formation. At high concentrations, polymer chain–polymer chain interactions become stronger when thermodynamically less powerful solvents are used or are last to leave during film formation; therefore, the solvent balance has a critical influence on the film surface properties. Annealing the poly(vinyl chloride) above the glass transition temperature reduces the surface porosity of the cast polymer. |
