Polymeric surfactants from styrene-co-maleic-anhydride copolymers

Polymeric surfactants are usually prepared via copolymerisation of suitably substituted monomers. In this study, polymer surfactants were made by modi fying a highly functionalized polymer chain back bone: a copolymer of styre ne and maleic anhydride, SMA (34wt.-% MA), was turned into anionic, cationi c and nonionic surfactants by saponification and imidation of the MA functi ons. In some cases, the chains were partly hydrophobized by stearyl substit uents. All surfactants were water soluble without forming hydrogels. To dif ferent degrees, they proved themselves as dispersants and thickeners. Carbo n black and titanium dioxide were excellently dispersed by the ionic deriva tives o SMA while latices were particularly well thickened by hydrophobized nonionic derivatives.