Soluble graft-like complexes based on poly(4-vinyl pyridine) and carboxy-terminated polystyrene oligomers due to hydrogen bonding

Mono-carboxy terminated polystyrene oligomer (MCPS) and di-carboxy terminated polystyrene oligomer (DCPS) were prepared by anionic polymerization. Viscometry and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies show that both MCPS and DCPS can interact with poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PVPy) via hydrogen bonding to form soluble graft-like complexes in CHCl3. The marked differences in the viscosity-composition behaviour, intrinsic viscosities and hydrodynamic radius distribution f(R-h) between MCPS/PVPy and DCPS/PVPy blend solutions proved that the two carboxyl ends in DCPS provide much stronger ability for complex formation than the mono carboxyl end in MCPS does. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.