Aaa. De Queiroz et al., Vinylpyrrolidone-N,N '-dimethylacrylamide water-soluble copolymers: synthesis, physical-chemical properties and proteic interactions, BIOMATERIAL, 21(16), 2000, pp. 1631-1643
The radical copolymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) with N,N'-dimet
hylacrylamide (DMAm) has been studied. The copolymer compositions were dete
rmined from H-1-NMR. The radical reactivity ratios for DMAm (M-1) and VP (M
-2) were found to be r(1) = 2.232 and r(2) = 0.186. An analysis of the wate
r vapor absorption isotherms as a function of the lactam content in the cop
olymer is reported. It was observed that the water vapor absorption decreas
es with increasing VP content in the copolymer and show anomalous diffusion
behavior with increasing temperature due to the coupling of diffusion and
polymer relaxation mechanisms. From the water vapor sorption data the Arrhe
nius activation parameter (E-D) and enthalpy of sorption (Delta H-s) were d
etermined. The activation parameters are found to follow the conventional t
rend. The poly(DMAm-co-VP) copolymers exhibited a decreased critical soluti
on temperature (LCST) in proportion to their lactam content. Contact angle
data were evaluated for the determination of surface free energy components
(gamma(SV)(d), gamma(SV)(p) and gamma(SV)) of the synthesized polymers. Th
e dispersion force component (gamma(SV)(d)) of copolymers increased only sl
ightly with the VP content whereas the polar force component (gamma(SV)(p))
decreased with the lactam content. No dependence was observed between the
surface free energy (gamma(SV)) and copolymer compositions. The complex for
mation between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the VP-DMAm copolymers in wat
er was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that the copolyme
rs bind to BSA non-specifically on the surface. Phase separation was not ob
served after addition of copolymers to BSA solutions at pH higher or lower
than isoelectric point of BSA. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re
served.