BINDING OF HEXADECYLAMMONIUM SURFACTANTS TO WATER-SOLUBLE NEUTRAL POLYMERS

The binding of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and hexadecyldimethyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium bromide to neutral polymers was measured by a potentiometric titration method using surfactant selective electrodes. Binding to poly(vinyl alcohol) was slightly cooperative, while that to poly(ethylene oxide) lacked the cooperativity. Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) did not bind them at all. Binding affinity as estimated by a distribution coefficient of the cationic surfactants between the bulk and polymer phases is about 2 orders of magnitude smaller than that of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate. The heat of binding was estimated from the temperature dependence of the distribution coefficient and found to be endothermic. It is suggested that the cationic surfactants are simply partitioned between the aqueous bulk phase and the polymer coil phase which is regarded as aqueous organic mixed solvent.