Abstract
Commercial carrier ampholytes, obtained by coupling polyethylene polyamines to acrylic acid, exhibit a conductivity minimum in the pH range 5.5–6.5 owing to the lack of appropriate p K values of the polyamine in this pH region. By replacing acrylic with itaconic acid, it has been possible to effect substantial improvements in the pH range 5.5–6.5 as itaconic acid has a p K 2 value of 5.45. Upon coupling, the p K of the γ-carboxyl group remains virtually unaltered. With itaconic acid carrier ampholytes it has been possible to improve the conductivity in the pH range 5.5–6.5 by as much as 400% compared with conventional carrier ampholytes. It is suggested that the commercial products should be supplemented with itaconic acid carrier ampholytes in order to obtain a more uniform conductivity and buffering capacity in the pH range 3–10.
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