  We propose a scaling description of phase separation of polymer solutions.
The scaling incorporates three universal limiting regimes: the Ising limit
asymptotically close to the critical point of phase separation, the "ideal-gas"
limit for the pure-solvent phase, and the tricritical limit for the
polymer-rich phase asymptotically close to the theta point. We have also
developed a phenomenological crossover theory based on the
near-tricritical-point Landau expansion renormalized by fluctuations. This
theory validates the proposed scaled representation of experimental data and
crossover to tricriticality.
