Effect of chain compositions on interpolymer specific interaction in solutions

An interpolymer specific interaction of polymers with complementary proton donor units and proton acceptor units was studied with viscometry. In this study, poly(styrene-co-octyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) as proton donating polymer (PDP) and poly(styrene-co-octyl acrylate-co-4-vinylpyridine) as proton accepting polymer (PAP) with different macromolecular chain compositions were prepared by emulsion copolymerization. Complexed solutions formed by PDP and PAP were studied with a novel interaction criterion ka based on viscosity enhance factor. The effects of macromolecular chain compositions on the ability to interpolymer interaction and complex stoichiometry were discussed. The results showed that long chain alkyl acrylate units play an important role in the interpolymer specific interaction.