Specific Solvent Effects in Swollen Polymer Networks
Abstract Stress—strain isotherms at 25° have been determined for uniaxially elongated poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks in the unswollen state and swollen consecutively with each of the following very dissimilar diluents : low molecular weight dimethylsiloxane fluid, n-hexadecane, 2,4-dichlorotoluene, and n-octyl acetate Five constant composition experiments were carried out, at values of the volume fraction ν2 of polymer of 1.00, 0.80, 0.60, 0.50, and 0.35. At ν2=0.80, the stress—strain isotherms were found to be independent of the nature of the diluent; at lower values of ν2, however, these isotherms were significantly different, thus demonstrating the existence of a “specific solvent effect” in swollen polymer networks. Interpretation of these data in terms of the statistical theory of rubberlike elasticity gave results in good agreement with previously reported specific solvent effects on the unperturbed dimensions of uncrosslinked poly (dimethylsiloxane) chains in solution. In neither case, however, do these effects correlate well with the cohesive energy density or dielectric of the diluent or solvent medium.