Water-soluble polymers. 79. Interaction of microblocky twin-tailed acrylamido terpolymers with anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants

Terpolymers composed of acrylic acid, methacrylamide, and DiC(6), DiC(8), o r DiC(10) twin-tailed hydrophobic monomers have been synthesized using mice llar polymerization methods, and the interactions of these polymers with su rfactants were investigated. These surfactants include sodium dodecyl sulfa te (SDS), cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and Triton X-100. Viscosi ty measurements of DiC(6)AM and DiC(8)AM mixtures indicate little interacti on with SDS, gelation with CTAB, and hemimicelle formation followed by poly mer hydrophobe solubilization with Triton X-100. The DiC(10)AM terpolymer s hows similar interaction behavior with CTAB and Triton X-100. However, the enhanced hydrophobic nature of the DIC to polymer allows complex formation with SDS as confirmed by surface tensiometry. Fluorescence measurements per formed on a dansyl-labeled DiC(10)AM terpolymer in the presence of increasi ng amounts of each of the surfactants indicate relative interaction strengt hs to be CTAB > Triton X-100 > SDS.