Prediction of the Phase Behavior of Hyperbranched Polymer Solutions by the Group Contribution Method

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to predict the phase behavior of systems containing hyperbranched polymers by using a thermodynamic model based on the group contribution method, UNIFAC-FV, and considering an association term for the hydrogen bonding effect. After checking the validation of the model vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE), bubble-point and liquid-liquid equilibrium (LLE), the cloud points for binary and ternary systems with different solvents were estimated from the proposed model. Furthermore, the activity of solvents in infinite dilution was predicted by this model. The results showed that the proposed model can estimate the phase behavior of solutions containing hyperbranched polymers with a good accuracy.