Non-stoichiometric polyelectrolyte complexes of polyacrylic acid and cationic surfactants

Abstract
The macromolecular reactions of cationic surfactants with polyacrylic acid have been studied. In acid media (pH 3) as a result of these reactions non-stoichiometric PECs of constant composition insoluble in aqueous media form. In neutral and weakly alkaline media (pH ⩾ 7) where the polyacid units are heavily ionized both water-soluble non-stoichiometric and stoichiometric insoluble PECs may form. The conditions for the formation of water-soluble non-stoichiometric PECs as a function of the length of the non-polar radical of the SA molecule have been studied. It is shown that increase in the length of the non-polar radical reduces the values of the composition of the mixture for which soluble non-stoichiometric PECs form. The influence of the content of a low molecular weight electrolyte on the formation of non-stoichiometric water-soluble PECs has been studied.