Adsorption of Polycomplexes at Solution/Air Interface

Abstract

The effect of complex formation of polyacids (polyacrylic (PAAc) and polymethacrylic (PMAAc)) with polyacrylamide (PAA) on their surface properties at solution/air interface has been studied by surface tension, electric conductivity and potentiometric measurements at 293±0.2 K. The relaxation time and surface activity of polycomplexes were calculated from kinetic data on the surface tension. It was found that during complex formation the relaxation time of a surface layer has a maximum and the surface activity of macromolecules is increased. Also the standard free energy of adsorption for PAA and polyacid-PAA polycomplexes were calculated. It is shown that the surface activity and ability to decrease of the water surface tension is less for PMAAc-PAA than for PAAc-PAA. Such anomalous behaviour of PMAAc-PAA polycomplex probably is caused by an excessive strengthening of inner-and intermolecular hydrophobic interactions in macromolecules of PMAAc-PAA polycomplexes due to the presence of α-methyl groups in PMAAc macromolecules. Because of the rebuilding of macromolecule segments of complex by polarity at the interface is becoming a difficult one.