Viscometric behaviour of some hydrophobically modified cationic polyelectrolytes

Effects of the polycation structure and of the solvent nature and compositi on on the viscometric behaviour of some cationic polyelectrolytes with (N,N -dimethyl-2-hydroxypropylene ammonium chloride) units in the main chain and non-polar side groups (hexyloxypropyl and decyloxypropyl) were investigate d. The solution viscosity of polyelectrolytes was determined over a wide co ncentration range, in saltless aqueous solution. The experimental data were plotted in the terms of Fuoss and Fedors equations. Viscosity of the polyc ation PCA(5)D(1), was measured also in the mixed solvents: water/methanol a nd water/acetone. Polyelectrolyte behaviour was observed for PCA(5)D(1) in the mixtures of water/methanol for all composition employed and in mixtures of water/acetone with the acetone content as high as 60 vol%. The intrinsi c viscosity, [eta] decreased and the overlap concentration, C*, increased w ith increasing organic solvent content in the mixed solvents. (C) 2001 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.