Scaling and crossover to tricriticality in polymer solutions
Anisimov M.A., Agayan V.A., Gorodetskii E.E.
PACS: 05.70.Jk, 42.70.Jk, 64.75.+g
We propose a scaling description of phase separation of polymer solutions. The scaling incorporates three universal limiting regimes: the Ising limit asymptotically close to the critical point of phase separation, the "ideal gas" limit for the pure-solvent phase, and the tricritical limit for the polymer-rich phase asymptotically close to the theta point. We have also developed a phenomenological crossover theory based on the near-tricritical-point Landau expansion renormalized by fluctuations. This theory validates the proposed scaled representation of experimental data and crossover to tricriticality.
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![](/ps/897/article_13820_800_head.png "<b>We propose a scaling description of phase separation of polymer solutions. The scaling incorporates three universal limiting regimes: the Ising limit asymptotically close to the critical point of phase separation, the "ideal gas" limit for the pure-solvent phase, and the tricritical limit for the polymer-rich phase asymptotically close to the </b><i>theta </i><b>point. We have also developed a phenomenological crossover theory based on the near-tricritical-point Landau expansion renormalized by fluctuations. This theory validates the proposed scaled representation of experimental data and crossover to tricriticality.</b>")