DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF MALEIC ACID ETHYLENE COPOLYMER IN SALT-FREE AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS

In the reported experimental study, the dielectric behavior of maleic acid-ethylene copolymer solutions has been investigated at different polymer concentrations and two degrees of neutralization alpha prime . It is shown that this behavior is analogous to that of ordinary polyacids. Also the experimental data can be explained in terms of the van der Touw-Mandel theory, but at low alpha prime a possible contribution from motion of negative charges (in turn related to bound proton fluctuations) has to be taken into account. The dielectric results suggest that the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds has an influence on the change of the average dimensions of the chain with increasing alpha prime . This seems to be confirmed by viscosity data.