Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2013, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (02): 341-345.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201211262

• SOFT MATTER • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Salt Effect on Controlling Aggregation Behavior of Brush-Like Amphiphilic Polymers

WU Xu1, CAI Xiao-Xin1, WANG Jin-Ben2, YANG Hui2, SHI Xue-Feng2   

  1. 1 College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China;
    2 Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
  • Received:2012-09-17 Revised:2012-11-26 Published:2013-01-14
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the National Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program.

Abstract:

The extraordinary properties of amphiphilic polymers originate from their unique skeleton structures and the aggregation behavior of the polymer chains. In the present work, we introduced different amounts of NaCl into AMPS-AMC12S brush-like amphiphilic polymers synthesized via the statistical polymerization of 2-(acrylamido)-dodecanesulfonic acid (AMC12S) with 2-(acrylamido)-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and investigated the effects of the NaCl on the aggregation behavior of the polymers, using steady-state fluorescence, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the effects of the salt were more intense for polymers with fewer side chains. As the NaCl concentration increased, the polymer chains associated at a lower critical concentration. The polymers tended to aggregate in an intrapolymer configuration, in preference to an interpolymer configuration; this resulted in the formation of smaller unimers, rather than giant multipolymer aggregates. The results described here provide an efficient approach for controlling the aggregation behavior of amphiphilic polymers, and have significance in advancing the design and control of functional aqueous systems, as well as in promoting the development and application of novel polymers.

Key words: Aggregation behavior, NaCl, Aggregate, Brush-like polymer, Control