Novel water-soluble block copolymers of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and dihydroxypropyl methacrylate

In this publication we describe the synthesis and properties of a novel type of block copolymer. The anionically synthesised block copolymer consists of a neutral, water-soluble block (2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate, HMA) and a pH-dependently charged one (2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, AMA). The adsorption on silica and its effect on the colloidal stability were evaluated. The adsorbed amount is mainly determined by the electrostatics, which leads to a maximum adsorbed amount at low AMA content. The block copolymers tend to destabilise colloidal silica, due to a charge neutralisation upon adsorption, which is not compensated by the formation of a steric layer.