(193y) Multi Window High Temperature View Cell for the Measurements of Polymer Phase Equilibria

Phase equilibrium data, especially for the liquid-liquid equilibrium (LLE) data, are most important information for the process and material development with polymers. In these days, expensive and/or hazardous chemicals are frequently used to develop advanced polymer composite materials. A safely and cost-effective measurement of the polymer phase equilibrium data with a small amount of samples are desired for an effective design and development of new polymer composite materials.

From this viewpoint, we have developed a multi window high temperature view cell for the high temperature polymer phase equilibrium data measurements. The small-volume high pressure glass vessel sealed with high temperature o-ring was set inside the view cell. The known composition samples are weighed into the glass vessel. Increasing the temperature, the phase change phenomena, cloud point, are occurred inside the glass vessel. The view cell has four optical windows in rectangular　directions allows us to observe the phase change phenomena inside the glass vessel and to detect them with optical sensors, laser turbidimeter, simultaneously. The maximum temperature of the view cell is 573 K. The combination of the observations and the optical sensor detections is suitable for ensuring precise and quick measurements. In typical experimental conditions, the total amount of solvent inside the glass vessel needed for the measurement is about 0.3 mL. 

Thus, the multi window view cell with small-volume high pressure glass vessel developed gives us a useful tool for precise and quick measurement of the polymer phase equilibrium data with a little bit of sample.