The gelation behavior of the solution of a conjugated polymer, poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PF8), with a poor solvent, methylcyclohexane (MCH), induced by aging at room temperature has been investigated. Light scattering and optical microscopy revealed that the gelation was driven by a macrophase separation occurred through a spinodal decomposition mechanism. Although the spinodal decomposition could proceed to the late stage, the interconnected morphology was arrested to give rise to the gel property of the system. The phase-separated gel was composed of an isotropic phase and a PF8-enriched liquid crystalline phase. The liquid crystalline phase was further found to consist of sheetlike aggregates (as revealed by smallangle X-ray scattering) in which a fraction of the PF8 chains formed the β-phase (as disclosed by the optical spectra) which dominated the photoluminescence spectrum of the gel. The PF8/MCH gel could be disintegrated by moderate heating to ca. 70°C. This gel-to-sol transition was accompanied by the disruptions of the sheetlike aggregates and the β-phase which led to homogenization of the solution.

Kyphoscoliosis is one of the causes of restrictive lung disease. It can lead to chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure and hypoxaemia. The benefits of long term intermittent nocturnal non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) to these patients have been shown in regard to improved vital capacity, total lung capacity, muscle strength and daytime oxygenation. In our case, we found long term intermittent nocturnal NIPPV also had a beneficial effect on exercise capacity and pulmonary hypertension. This is good for patients with kyphoscoliosis not only in terms of their survival but also for their quality of life. We recommend long term intermittent nocturnal NIPPV as a routine intervention for severe kyphoscoliosis with hypoxaemia, and transthoracic echocardiography as a routine evaluation tool for determining the response of pulmonary hypertension to management.