Phase separation of polymer solutions and interactions of globules

Overview & Synopsis

A new method is proposed for a quantitative investigation of interchain interactions in a poor solvent within the framework of a Lifshits type mean-field approximation. Density distributions and interaction free energy for two globules equilibrated at an arbitrary distance ζ from each other are calculated. The corresponding pair virial coefficient and coexistence binodal curve in the second virial approximation are determined, and spinodal curve is estimated as well. The theoretical phase diagram without any fitting parameters is compared with experiments ; some interpretations and questions related to the experiments are formulated.