ASSOCIATION OF DIBLOCK AND TRIBLOCK COPOLYMERS OF ETHYLENE-OXIDE AND BUTYLENE OXIDE IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION

The association properties of block copolymers of ethylene oxide (E) a nd 1,2-butylene oxide (B) manufactured by The Dow Chemical Company wer e studied by static and dynamic light scattering, The critical micelle concentrations and micelle association numbers so obtained were combi ned with literature values for related copolymers in order to discuss the effect of block architecture on the association properties of line ar diblock and triblock copolymers. The measurements significantly inc rease the available data for E(m)B(n)E(m) triblock copolymers and prov ide new insight into effects caused by E-block distributions originati ng from the different rates of reaction of ethylene oxide with primary and secondary oxyanions during copolymerization.