Miscibility studies on poly(ethylene glycol)/dextran blends in aqueous solutions by dilute solution viscometry

Miscibility of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with dextran (Dx) was investigated by dilute solution viscometry. Dilute solution viscosity measurements were made on ternary systems, polymer (1)/polymer (2)/solvent (H₂O), for four different average molecular weights of PEG and Dx. The intrinsic viscosity and viscometric interaction parameters were experimentally measured for the binary (solvent/polymer) as well as for the ternary systems by classical Huggins equation. Degree of miscibility of these polymer systems was estimated on the basis of the four following criteria: (1) the sign of the Δk_AB, (2) the sign of α, (3) the sign of ΔB, and (4) the sign of the μ. Based on the sign convention involved in these criteria, immiscibility was observed in most systems. The miscibility of all these systems in accordance with the interactions between the unlike polymer chains rather the polymer–solvent interactions were investigated depending on molecular weight of polymer sample. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 94: 453–460, 2004