The clouding behaviour of PEO–PPO based triblock copolymers in aqueous ionic surfactant solutions: A new approach for cloud point measurements

Abstract

The cloud points (CP) of 1 g/dl solutions of polyethylene oxide–polypropylene oxide (PEO–PPO) based triblock copolymers (Pluronics® P84, L64, L44 and Reverse Pluronics® 10R5, 25R4, 17R4) were measured as a function of their molecular weight and added ionic surfactant. For identical PEO/PPO ratios, copolymers with lower molecular weight show a larger increase in the cloud point in the presence of surfactants than polymers with higher molecular weight. The opposite trend has been observed for reverse Pluronics. The cloud points of polymers with different PEO/PPO ratios have also been reported. An increase in the size of the middle PEO block in reverse Pluronics has a more significant effect on cloud points than molecular weight increment. Ionic surfactants produced marked increases in the cloud points of copolymer solutions. The effect was much larger for surfactants with higher hydrophobicity. Cationic surfactants with different chain lengths were used to examine the surfactant–polymer interaction. A novel approach for normalising the cloud points to their relative values has been carried out to see the clear effect of ionic surfactants. Tri component systems, comprising polymers, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C 16TABr) surfactant and salt (NaBr), have also been studied to see the effect of salt on the phase separation behaviour of solutions within the framework of our new cloud point approach.