Intrinsic viscosity, diffusion and sedimentation of copolymers of crystal-like molecules☆

Abstract A study was made of the relation between molecular weights and hydrodynamic properties of statistical copolymers of cetyloxybenzoic acid (C-16) phenylmethacrylic ester with cetylmethacrylate (CMA) of different compositions. Evaluation of unperturbed macromolecular dimensions gives the same statistical segmental values for both copolymers (A = 60 A ) and proves an increased equilibrium rigidity of main chains, compared with conventional flexible chain polymers, which is due to the presence of long lateral interacting groups. It was shown that the difference in the hydrodynamic behaviour of molecules of these copolymers in CCl 4 is due to the different thermodynamic properties of solvent for the constituting homopolymers.