On the nature of intermolecular interactions in polymer blends. Use of model compounds as a tool for investigating polymer–polymer miscibility

An FTIR study has been performed on two low molecular weight model compounds of diethylmaleate functionalized polyethylene, ethyl 3‐carbethoxy‐4‐propylheptanoate (EPH) and ethyl 3‐carbethoxy‐4‐hexyldecanoate (EHD), recording spectra in different solvents (heptane, tetrahydrofuran, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform) and in the presence of a presumable PVC model, 2‐chlorobutane (2CB). These different systems allowed the observation of some correlations between spectroscopic data and chemical composition of solutions and functionalized polyethylene/PVC blends, supporting the hypothesis of specific hydrogen bond type interactions between the carboxylic oxygen of the functionalized polyethylene and the methinic hydrogens of PVC.