Interactions of acetylenic diol surfactants with polymers Part 1. Maleic anhydride co-polymers

Interactions of acetylenic diol surfactants (Surfynol 104 and Surfynol 440) with maleic anhydride co-polymers (SMA 1000H; SMA 3000H and SMA 1440H) hav e been studied by dynamic surface tension method. Surfynol 104 (HLB value a bout 3)contained no ethylene oxide in its molecule while Surfynol 440 (HLB value about 8) contained 3.5 mol (40% by weight) of ethylene oxide. SMA 100 0H and SMA 3000H were unmodified co-polymers of styrene and maleic anhydrid e with styrene/maleic anhydride ratios of 1/1 and 3/1, respectively, while SMA 1440H was a half ester (butoxyethanol) of SMA 1000H polymer. Polymer so lutions of four different concentrations were used (0.3, 1, 3 and 10% w/w). It was found that acetylenic diol surfactants interacted with maleic anhyd ride co-polymers forming simple complexes and complex structures in the bul k that dramatically increased solution viscosity for high polymer concentra tions and surfactant doses. The extent of interactions increased with incre asing polymer hydrophobicity and the amount of ethylene oxide in the surfac tant molecular structure. Both hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds seem to be in volved in the polymer/surfactant interactions. For low surfactant concentra tions polymer/surfactant interactions can be described as simple surfactant adsorption on the "adsorption sites" of the polymer chain. (C) 1999 Elsevi er Science B.V. All rights reserved.