A STUDY OF EFFECTIVE CHARGE-DENSITY OF SWOLLEN POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL) MEMBRANE MIXED WITH POLY(STYRENESULFONIC ACID)

A study of the effective charge density of a charged membrane composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(sulfonate) was carried out. The ratio of the effective charge density obtained from the membrane potential to the net charge density from pH titration was shown to be a function of degree of hydration (H). In order to explain the decrement of the ratio cited above as H increased, a model that includes two kinds of i onic fluxes within the membrane was introduced. This model was found t o be able to give a qualitative explanation for the behaviour of the e ffective charge density of a charged membrane.