ABSTRACT Proposal Number: CTS-9806004 Principal Investigator: M. Rezac A POWRE Award. The study will examine the potential for forming microporous polymer structures from both miscible and immiscible polymer blends. A model system of polyethersulfone/a second polymer/N-methyl-pyrrolidone/and water will be examined by manipulating the molecular weight of the second polymer. At low molecular weights the systems are miscible and the behavior of antiplasticizers can be modeled. As the molecular weight increase the miscibility gap will decrease and then disappear. The thermodynamic equilibrium diagram will be evaluated using the cloud point technique. The morphology and polymer-polymer phase behavior of the resultant polymer structure will be evaluated and correlated with processing conditions. This POWRE award is to assist the PI to develop expertise in a new area which is critical to her professional development.
