KINETICS OF DISSOCIATION OF THORIUM(IV) BOUND TO PMA AND PMVEMA

The kinetics of dissociation of Th(IV) from its complexes with polymaleic acid (PMA) and poly(methyl vinyl ether)maleic acid (PMVEMA) were found to follow rate expressions that reflected seven separate terms ranging in lifetimes between 0.1 s and almost 1 h. The fraction of thorium dissociating by any one of the seven paths depended on the length of time during the first 2 days that the thorium had been bound to the polyelectrolyte prior to dissociation. After 48 h of binding, no further change was observed in the dissociation kinetics. These observations are interpreted in terms of the present models of metal-polyelectrolyte interaction. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.