Abstract
Alternating amphiphilic copolymers are macromolecular systems with a polarity duality in their structure, since they are generally formed by alternating segments corresponding to a potential electrolyte group and an alkyl (aliphatic or aromatic) group. These systems, depending on the ionization degree, as well as the time, may form different types of intra and interpolymeric aggregates in aqueous media. Therefore, this study, which in fact is the continuation of a previously reported work, is focused on establishing how the ionization degree of the sodium and potassium salts of the poly(maleic acid-alt-octadecene) affect zeta potential, pH, electrical conductivity, particle size, polydispersity index, and surface tension over time. The results showed that polymeric salts with a high ionization degree in aqueous media formed homogeneous systems with bimodal sizes and high zeta potential values, which tended to quickly become less negative, lowering the pH and slightly increasing the electrical conductivity; while systems with low ionization degree lead to the opposite, forming heterodispersed systems with several populations of particle sizes, high polydispersity, low zeta potential values, neutral and invariable pH values, and high electrical conductivity values. Consequently, these results suggest that the values of particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, and electrical conductivity change regarding the polymeric ionization degree, as well as the time. Therefore, such variables should be considered and controlled when working with this kind of polymeric materials.
Highlights
Amphiphilic polymeric materials are macromolecular systems that describe a polarity duality regarding to the distribution of several polar and non-polar functional groups in their polymer chains [1,2]
In the case of the polymeric materials derived from the poly(maleic acid-alt-octadecene) salts, it has been reported that when these polymers have high ionization degree, being in aqueous dilution, they can form hydrophobic pseudo-phases [10,18]
These results can be explained considering that, when the polyelectrolytes have a great quantity of ionic groups, these may generate a larger amount of ion-dipole polymer–solvent interactions, favoring the solubility in aqueous medium [26,27]
Summary
Amphiphilic polymeric materials are macromolecular systems that describe a polarity duality regarding to the distribution of several polar and non-polar functional groups in their polymer chains [1,2]. There are the alternating amphiphilic copolymers which are the central focus of this study These polymers are formed by an alternating distribution of a polar segment that can be neutral or ionizable and a non-polar segment that can be aliphatic or aromatic. Block copolymers tend to form self-assembling structures highly organized (polymeric micelles) [12,13,14], while PMHs and alternating amphiphilic copolymers tend to form multiple intramolecular as well as intermolecular aggregates [15,16,17] These aggregates can be formed depending on several intrinsic factors, such as the polymer concentration and the balance between the charge fraction and the hydrophobic character in the polymer chains. In the case of the polymeric materials derived from the poly(maleic acid-alt-octadecene) salts, it has been reported that when these polymers have high ionization degree, being in aqueous dilution, they can form hydrophobic pseudo-phases [10,18]
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