The Soret coefficient S T and collective ͑mass͒ diffusion coefficient D c of polystyrene dissolved in the good-solvent toluene has been measured over a range of concentrations and molecular masses with an optical beam-deflection method. Our measurements indicate that S T scales inversely with the polymer translational diffusion coefficient in dilute solutions, exhibits a power-law scaling with polymer concentration, and an independence of polymer molecular mass in semidilute solutions. These findings are consistent with the known scaling of 1/D c in dilute and semidilute polymer solutions, the relative insensitivity of the thermal-diffusion coefficient D th of polystyrene in toluene to polymer concentration, and the relation S T ϭD th /D c from irreversible thermodynamics. We are able to represent our S T and D c data by theoretically motivated reduced-concentration master curves, but the concentration-molecular mass scaling variables are found to be different for each transport property, a result contrary to theoretical expectations. However, the asymptotic concentration scaling exponents deduced from these data fits are compatible with de Gennes' scaling arguments for D c and with modern estimates of the chain-size exponent for swollen polymers in good solvents.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.