FLUORESCENCE STUDY OF HYDROPHOBICALLY-MODIFIED POLYELECTROLYTES IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION - EFFECT OF MICELLIZATION

Fluorescence emission techniques were applied to the study of aqueous solutions of a hydrophobically modified polyelectrolyte, a block copol ymer of sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS) and poly(tertbutylstyren e) (PtBS). At low concentrations, the spectrum of NaPSS/PtBS is essent ially identical to that obtained for NaPSS homopolymer. Above a certai n concentration, which we identify as corresponding to the critical mi celle concentration (cmc); substantial differences are noted in the sp ectra. Specifically, an increase in the intensity of the excimer peak at 330 nm is observed for the diblock solution relative to the homopol ymer solution. The cme is estimated to be in the range of 2 x 10(-7) t o 2 x 10(-6) g/g for the diblock.