Interactions Between Alkyl Triphenyl Phosphonium Bromides and Polyvinylpyrrolidones in Aqueous Media

Abstract

The interactions of polyvinylpyrrolidones with alkyl triphenyl phosphonium bromide in aqueous media were investigated with conductometric, fluorimetric and tensiometric techniques. Formation of surfactant-polymer aggregates was detected in the case of C₁₆ and C₁₄ surfactant by these techniques. Tensiometric technique proved to be very sensitive to detect the early stage of association at very low concentrations. The Gibbs free energy of micellization and the dielectric constant values of the micellar interface values were obtained and discussed in terms of strength of interaction between the polymers and surfactants.

Keywords:

• Cationic surfactants
• conductometry
• fluorimetry
• neutral polymers
• surfactant-polymer interactions

The authors acknowledge the generous support from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council in the form of a Discovery Grant to R.P.

Notes

∗Fluorimetric method.