Molecular weight and concentration dependence of the thermal conductivity of polystyrene in benzene

The thermal conductivities of polystyrene in benzene solutions at concentrations of 0.l to 15 weight percent were measured at 25° C and atmospheric pressure. Osmotic pressure measurements and information supplied by the manufacturer indicated number average molecular weights (M̅_N) of 21,000, 264,000, and 660,000 for the three polystyrene polymers studied. The following equation was obtained by regression analysis of the results and predicts the measured thermal conductivity within ± 2 percent in the range of variables studied. K = 0.1088 - 0.1311 C + 0.57629 C² - 6.40 x 10⁻⁵ (M̅_N x 10⁻⁵)² - 4.2 x 10⁻³ C(M̅_N x 10⁻⁵) where: K = thermal conductivity of solution, Btu/hr-ft-°F C = weight fraction polymer M̅_N = number average molecular weight The conductivities were measured in a steady-state concentric cylinder apparatus developed for measuring the thermal conductivity of viscous liquids. The annular gap was 0.052 inches and guard heaters were employed to minimize end losses and distortion of the steady-state temperature distribution at the ends. The apparatus was calibrated with three liquids of known thermal conductivity, water, cyclohexanol and ethylene glycol. The calibration factor was found to be constant to within experimental error (± 3 percent) over the range of measurements.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Chemical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Year dc:date.issued

1968

Author dc:creator

• Epps, Lionel Bailey

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/71014

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/71014