ADSORPTION OF POLY(N-ALKYLSUBSTITUTED ACR YLAMIDE)S ONTO POLYSTYRENE LATEXES

Adsorption of polymers and copolymers of N-alkylsubstituted acrylamide onto anionic polystyrene (PS) latexes was investigated in water at 25 degrees C. Results are discussed in terms of cloud point and surface activity of their aqueous solutions and intensity ratio of pyrene fluo rescence (I-1/I-3) in their aqueous solutions. Polymers and copolymers used in the present study exhibited an adsorptive property onto PS la texes which was of Langmuir type. Copolymers having monomer units with a long alkyl chain gave amounts of adsorption at saturation higher th an those for polymers and copolymers composed of monomer units with a short alkyl chain. There was also a tendency of the equilibrium consta nt of adsorption to become lower for copolymers forming hydrophobic do mains in water. The adsorption features of the polymers used here coul d be interpreted in terms of their conformations in water, being corre lated to a hydrophobic interaction with polymer latexes.