Studies of miscibility and specific interactions of antitumor-active anhydride copolymer and poly(ethylene glycol) blends

The blending of polymers is of great interest, since the modification gives rise to diverse physical properties with the functionality of a polymer, without synthesis. Water-soluble antitumor-active poly(maleic anhydride-alt-acrylic acid) poly(MA-alt-AA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) blends were prepared by casting, and compatible properties were investigated by dilute solution viscometry. Viscosity measurements were made on ternary systems of polymer (1)/polymer (2)/solvent (H2O) and p-dioxane, at different concentrations of PEG and poly(MA-alt-AA). The interaction parameters Delta beta, mu, Delta k, Delta b, beta and alpha, which have been proposed, have been obtained using the viscosity data, to probe the miscibility of the polymer blends. The solid blends prepared were characterized with ATR-FTIR, H-1-NMR, DTA and TGA.