Thermal Behavior of Syndiotactic Polystyrene/1,2‐Dichloroethane Gels and Stoichiometry of Polymer‐Solvent Compounds

Abstract The phase behavior of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS)/1,2‐dichloroethane (DCE) gels has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle x‐ray diffraction (WAXD) for different gel formation conditions. DSC data show that the gel melting temperatures are independent of the cooling conditions leading to gel formation, whereas the melting enthalpies of the gels depend on the cooling history. WAXD measurements show that for low concentration gels the sPS/DCE clathrate structure is obtained, whereas for high concentration gels both the clathrate structure and the solvent‐free β phase can be obtained. Furthermore, the onset of formation of the β phase is dependent on the cooling rate. In light of combined DSC and WAXD data, the reliability of the DSC in evaluating the absolute stoichiometry of polymer‐solvent compounds formed in sPS/DCE gels is discussed.