Detection and evaluation of polymer–polymer interactions in dilute solutions of associating polymers

An experimental tool for the evaluation of intramolecular associative/hydrophobic interactions in polymer/solvent systems was proposed and tested. The method is based on the measurements of the viscous flow in dilute polymer solutions and the analysis of the ln ηrvs. c[η] dependence. This second derivative has a positive sign in the case of associating polymer or copolymer systems, and is negative for the non-associating ones. The value of the second derivative of this dependence may be used as a measure of the solvophobicity of polymer systems. Results obtained for three polymer systems: comb-like amphiphilic copolymers of N-methyl-N-vinyl acetamide and N-methyl-N-vinyl amine, brush-like copolymers of styrene and methyl methacrylate, and linear polystyrene, are presented and discussed.