HYDROGEN-BONDING IN POLY(4-VINYLPYRIDINE) POLY(VINYL ACETATE-CO-VINYLALCOHOL) BLENDS - AN INFRARED STUDY

In this paper the specific interactions between poly(vinylpyridine) an d copolymers of vinyl alcohol/vinyl acetate of different compositions have been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). H ydrogen bonding between both polymer components leads to significant s pectral modification in hydroxyl, carbonyl, and pyridine rings spectra l bands. Minor modifications in other spectral modes have also been de tected. The spectral results indicate at least three competing equilib rium processes in the blends: copolymer slef-association (hydroxyl-hyd roxyl and hydroxyl-carbonyl) and hydroxyl-pyridine interassociation. T he Painter-Coleman association model for three interacting units was s uccessfully applied. Finally, quantitative results show that hydroxyl- hydroxyl association is the predominant one.