Surface Thermodynamic Properties of Styrene–Divinylbenzene Copolymer Modified by Supramolecular Structure of Melamine Using Inverse Gas Chromatography

The surface thermodynamic properties of polymers and copolymers modified by supramolecular structures are used in several industrial processes, such as selective adsorption, paints, coatings, colloids, and adhesion applications. Background: Inverse gas chromatography at infinite dilution was proved to be the best technique to determine the surface properties of solid surfaces by studying the adsorption of some model polar and non-polar organic molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces at different temperatures. Methods: The retention volume of adsorbed solvents is a valuable parameter that was used to obtain the London dispersive and polar free energies and the London dispersive surface energy of styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer modified by supramolecular structure of melamine using both the Hamieh thermal model and our new methodology consisting of the separation of the two polar molecules and the dispersive free energy of their interaction. This led to the determination of the polar acid and base surface energy, and the Lewis acid–base constants of the various solid materials. Results: Following our new methodology, all surface energetic properties of styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer modified by melamine at different percentages were determined as a function of temperature. Conclusions: It was observed that the styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer exhibited the highest London dispersive surface energy, which decreased when the melamine percentage increased. All materials presented higher Lewis basicity and this Lewis basicity increased with the percentage of melamine.