ASPECTS OF ACID-BASE INTERACTIONS AND USE OF INVERSE GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY

Acid-base forces are known to contribute significantly to interactions in macromolecular systems. The evolution of acid-base concepts is traced from their early stages, as represented by the work of Lewis, Bronsted and others, to their current, complex state, with particular reference to their application to polymers. The requirement to express acid-base interactions quantitatively draws attention to the techniques of inverse gas chromatography. The ability of this technique to furnish information on acid-base interaction potentials of polymer surfaces is considered critically, as is its use in evaluations of polymer surface energetics. The large and rapidly expanding amount of literature on the capability of acid-base interactions to rationalize various industrially important properties of complex polymer systems has not been reviewed in detail. In this paper, a series of illustrations is used to indicate the power of acid-base concepts in effecting this rationalization. These illustrations suggest the need to take into account acid-base interactions if polymer systems are to be formulated, so as to satisfy steadily increasing demands on their performance and durability.