Viscometric measurements, in toluene and cyclohexane solutions, at 30 °C, were carried out on high-cis polybutadiene synthesized with neodymium catalysts. Six different equations were employed to calculate intrinsic viscosity values and viscometric constants: Huggins; Kraemer; Martin and Schulz-Blaschke, by graphic extrapolation; and Solomon-Ciuta; Deb-Chanterjee; and again Schulz-Blaschke, by single point determination. The values obtained for intrinsic viscosity in both solvents and also the molecular weight (in toluene), calculated by applying Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation, were compared in order to verify the validity of single point determination, which was confirmed. Solomon-Ciuta equation seemed to be suitable for toluene solutions whereas the Deb-Chanterjee equation was adequate for cyclohexane solutions. End-to-end distances of polymeric chains were also determined by applying Flory equation. Based on the higher values of intrinsic viscosity and end-to-end distance of polymeric chains for all samples in toluene, the latter was found to be better solvent than cyclohexane for polybutadiene.
Polybutadiene; viscometry; single point determination; end-to-end distance
