Abstract
The Kerr constant ( B) of aqueous solutions of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) changed drastically when certain concentrations of the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) were added to the PVP solutions. Three distinct regions were observed in the variation of B. These corresponded to the stages of interaction between the polymer and detergent indicated in previous papers by other workers using more laborious experimental methods. Using the transient birefringence technique, molecular relaxation times (τ) were determined at the same time as B. Insignificant variations of r were accompanied by order of magnitude changes in B. It is proposed that the electrical properties are far more sensitive indicators of polymer-surfactant interactions than are geometric parameters. Furthermore, the Kerr constant (and other electro-optic parameters) should provide a novel, sensitive and rapidly obtainable parameter for the increasingly popular studies on polymer-surfactant systems.
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