The properties of a polymeric system are a consequence of the interactions that occur between the various components of these complex systems. These components may vary significantly in terms of chemical nature (e.g. organic/inorganic), physical properties (e.g. particle size, surface area, molecular weight), structural characteristics and proportion in the formulations composition. This review paper addresses the major approaches in use regarding the analysis of the interactions that occur between the polymeric system components and the use of such approaches in the interpretation of the chemical, physical and thermodynamic properties of these systems. Special attention is given to the technique of inverse gas chromatography.A case study is presented, where use was made of inverse gas chromatography to characterize thermodynamically the surface of the major components of pigmented PC/PBT blends. The concept of Lewis acidity/basicity was used in the interpretation of the intermolecular interactions nature and potential in these blends, as encountered in phase separation and phase preferences phenomena and as expressed in the morphology, the physical and the mechanical properties of these commercially important composites. #

Controlled free-radical polymerization 1 has become an intensively investigated area of research due to its high tolerance of polar functionalities and its ability to develop well-defined macromolecular architectures (e.g., stable free-radical polymerization, 2 atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), 3-5 reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer, 6 and degenerative chain transfer polymerization 7 ). Recently, attempts to conduct the synthesis of well-defined polymers by ATRP in more environmentally friendly media, such as aqueous dispersed systems, have been explored. 8 In particular, the miniemulsion polymerization approach 9 is well-suited to enhance the colloidal stability and facilitate a controlled radical polymerization by eliminating the requirement for mass transfer of the radical activator/deactivator through the aqueous phase, normally occurring during an emulsion polymerization. 10,11 Under miniemulsion conditions, block copolymers can be successfully synthesized using the simultaneous reverse and normal initiation (SR&NI) 12 or activator generated by electron transfer (AGET), 13 both requiring the use of surfactants as particle stabilizers

No abstract