New miscible blends composed of polysulfone and poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-acrylonitrile) copolymers and their phase behavior

The miscibility of polysulfone, PSf, blend with poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone), PVP, and that of PSf blend with poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-acrylonitrile) copolymers, P(VP-AN), containing various amount of VP were explored. Even though PSf did not formed miscible blends with PVP when both components had high molecular weight, it formed miscible blend with PVP by decreasing molecular weight of PVP. PSf also formed homogeneous mixtures with P(VP-AN) containing AN from 2 to 16 wt%. These miscible blends underwent phase separation on heating caused by LCST-type (lower critical solution temperature-type) phase behavior. The phase separation temperature of miscible blends first increases with AN content, goes through a maximum centered at about 8 wt% AN. Interaction energies of binary pairs involved in blends were evaluated from the observed phase boundaries using the lattice-fluid theory. The decline of the contact angle between water and blend film by increasing P(VP-AN) content in blend indicated that the hydrophobic properties of PSf could be improved by blending with P(VP-AN) copolymers.