SOLUTION BEHAVIOR OF ALPHA,OMEGA - (DIMETHYLAMINO) POLYMERS QUATERNIZED WITH ALKYL IODIDES

Quaternization of the amino end-groups of telechelic polymers with n-alkyl iodides has been found to modify profoundly the solution behaviour of these materials. In toluene, the relative viscosity increases rapidly with concentration, in a manner dependent on the length of the alkyl substituent of the quaternizing agent. It has been observed that the increase in viscosity can be mitigated by lengthening the alkyl substituent shape. This lessening of viscosity levels off as soon as the alkyl substituent contains more than three carbon atoms. For the longest substituents, the viscosity slightly increases again. The sharpness of the increase in viscosity upon increasing polymer concentration can be significantly reduced in polar solvents. A lower medium polarity appears to promote higher differences in viscosity between quaternized and unquaternized polymers. Empirical equations have also been derived to fit the experimental hydrodynamic behaviour.