Complexation behaviour of radiation synthesized poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride) and its gel with potassium hexacyanoferrates (II, III) and potassium persulfate in aqueous medium

High energy gamma radiation has been used to synthesize linear poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride) (PVBT) as well as crosslinked PVBT gels. Complexation behaviour of linear and crosslinked PVBT with K2S2O8, K3[Fe(CN)6] and K4[Fe(CN)6] have been studied by viscometry, turbidity and equilibrium swelling measurements. The stoichiometry of the complex formed was found to be a function of charge on the anions of complexing species. Crosslinked poly(vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride) gels were found to desorb some of the embedded water when swollen gels were placed in these salt solutions. Existence of strong ionic interactions between polymer chains and complexing salts was confirmed by changes in equilibrium swelling of complexed crosslinked matrices as well as in the stoichiometry of linear PVBT complexes in presence of strong electrolytes like NaCl.