Why poly ethanol dissolves in water

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C , — The theory of Hansen solubility parameters HSP is a semi-empirical correlation developed to explain dissolution behaviour The dissolution process is an adaptation between the HSP parameters of solvents and solutes. The HSP distance R a is used to evaluate the level of adaptation and R a can be calculated by equation 1.

The smaller the R a value, the higher the expected solubility. In addition to single-component solvents, HSP theory can be also applied to mixed-solvents, in which each of the three HSP parameters for a solvent mixture is a linear function of composition, calculated by equation 2.

Therefore, equation 1 and 2 enable us to predict the solubility of different chemicals in various mixed-solvents, which effectively allows us to design ideal solvent systems.

Before conducting experiments for the synthesis of PDA, R a values between different solvent mixtures and dopamine were calculated using equation 1 and 2. More details are given in the Supporting Information see Supplementary Materials online. Figure 1 shows the results of experiments performed in the water-ethanol mixed solvents.

PDA spheres could not be formed in pure ethanol Figure 1a , but the PDA spheres could be obtained in the mixed-solvents made with water and ethanol or pure water Figure 1b and 1c. To verify the influence of solvent, we conducted the experiments to synthesize PDA in various water-ethanol mixed solvents. Figure 2 shows that the synthesis of PDA is strongly dependent on the volume fraction of ethanol in water.

Interestingly, these mixed solvents all have smaller R a value Table S2. In contrast, it was difficult to obtain well-dispersed PDA spheres in those mixed solvents with high R a values. We also investigated the conversion of dopamine in the mixed solvents and found that a smaller R a value gave a higher conversion Table S5. It was worth mentioning that the concentration of ammonia had a dramatic effect on controlling the size of PDA spheres, but no effect on the morphology and yield of PDA sphere Figure 3 , consistent with previous reports SEM images of PDA spheres with different diameters prepared at different concentration of ammonia, a 0.

This alcohol-water system was not only limited to ethanol, other alcohols such as methanol or 2-propanol with smaller R a were both proven to be efficient solvent systems.

The PDA products tended to be assembled together in the solvents with higher R a. The theory of chemical equilibrium may facilitate the understanding of this concept. The concentrations of the reactants or products do not affect the equilibrium constant, but does affect the equilibrium position For example, a decrease in concentration of the products causes the equilibrium to shift to the side of product.

In other words, if the solvent can dissolve the reactants better than the products, the equilibrium will also tend to generate products. Apparently, the solubility of solvent is very important for chemical synthesis. In summary, we demonstrated that the PDA spheres could be more easily obtained in the weakly alkaline alcohol-water mixed solvents with smaller R a. Although the synthesis of PDA spheres in alcohol-water mixed solvents has been reported earlier 13 , 14 , the present report is the first example of the application of HSP theory for the prediction of the PDA synthesis in alcohol-water mixed solvents.

This empirical formula might be useful to predict other reaction media in chemical synthesis. Further, with the aid of computers, more complex solvents with smaller R a for reactants can be designed for synthesis.

We expect to extend the selection of mixed solvents to other synthesis in inorganic, organic and biologic chemistry. Other chemical reagents were of analytical grade and were obtained commercially. The synthesis of PDA spheres was carried out in a water-alcohol mixed solvent. The alcohol methanol, ethanol, or 2-propanol was mixed with water and the volume of the mixed solvent was fixed at Ammonia aqueous solution NH 4 OH, 0.

Finally, dopamine hydrochloride was directly added to the mixed solution. The color of this solution immediately turned to pale brown and gradually changed to dark brown. Meanwhile, the ethyl pendant group hanging off the backbone of Poly 1,2butylene glycol strongly decreases water solubility. The end of the ethyl group is far enough away from the oxygen that it's completely non-polar and the shape winds up causing something called clathrate formation in the water.

This polymer is mostly used as a Solgel or a coating. It could also be used for chelating some metal salts in solution. However, it would make a rather terrible structural polymer. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group.

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