Investigation of thermodynamic properties of hyperbranched aliphatic polyesters by inverse gas chromatography

Thermodynamic properties of a series of commercial hyperbranched aliphatic polyesters (Boltorn® H20, H30 and H40) were examined for the first time by inverse gas chromatography (IGC) using 13 different solvents at infinite dilution as probes. Retention data of probes were utilized for an extensive characterization of polymers, which includes the determination of the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter, the weight fraction activity coefficient as well as the total and partial solubility parameters. Analysis of the results indicated that the total and partial solubility parameters decrease with increase of temperature. Furthermore, upon increase of the molecular weight, while the hydrogen bonding component decreases, no influence on the total solubility parameter is noticed within the experimental error margins. Results from the present study while providing new insight to the thermodynamic characteristics of the examined systems, they are also expected to reflect more general aspects of the behavior of hyperbranched polymers bearing similar end-groups.