The polysoaps [CH 2 C(Me)(CO 2 R)] n (R=(CH 2 ) 11 N + Me 2 (CH 2 ) 3 SO 3 − , (CH 2 ) 11 N + Me 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH) are studied. Their aqueous solution properties are strongly influenced by added salts; the surface activity can be modified efficiently by an appropriate choice of ions. The interactions of salts and polyzwitterions observed in solution can be extended to the behaviour in bulk. It enables the preparation of uniform, non crystalline blends containing up to equivalent amounts of inorganic salt and polyzwitterions

Structure and properties of zwitterionic polysoaps: functionalization by redox-switchable moieties

Redoxactive monomeric and polymeric surfactants containing viologen and N-alkylated nicotinic acid moieties were synthesized. These systems are potentially able to trigger reversible changes of self-organization by creation or removal of a charge via a redox reaction. Hence, they are investigated with respect to solubility, aggregation behavior, and their electrochemical properties in water. — All monomers, but only the viologen polymers are water-soluble and drastically decrease the surface tension of water. Critical micelle concentrations are observed for the monomers only. — The chemical reversibility of the redox reactions of the compounds in water was investigated using cyclic voltamme…

Hybrid materials from organic polymers and inorganic salts

The prepaparation of amorphous, homogeneous blends of zwitterionic polymers and transition metal salts was investigated. Homogeneous miscibility was achieved in many cases up to equimolar amounts of salt, depending on the anion and cation chosen. Various analytical techniques point to a solid state solution of the inorganic ions in the polymer matrix.

Recent achievements in the field of micellar polymers, or «polysoaps» are described. Taking advantage of zwitterionic model polymers, systematic variations of the molecular architecture have provided an improved understanding of the relationship between the molecular structure of the polymers and their key properties such as surface activity and solubilization capacity. Useful rules are established, which take into account much of the previous data in the literature

The molecular packing and spatial correlations of polymers [CH 2 CR(COOR')] n (R= H, Me; R'= (CH 2 ) 11 + NMe 2 (CH 2 ) 3 SO 3 - ; (CH 2 ) 2 + N(Me)[(CH 2 ) 3 SO 3 - ][C 10 H 21 ]) are studied by means of X-ray analysis and conformational calculations. The analysis of the correlation functions and density distribution profiles suggest a double-layered molecular packing which is discussed for the three polymers investigated, with respect to their different chemical structures. Whereas the zwitterionic polymethacrylates studied exhibit liquid-like short-range order, the polyacrylate analog exhibits an ordered double-layered superstructure

Relaxation and charge transport in mixtures of zwitterionic polymers and inorganic salts

Dielectric spectroscopy is employed to analyze the molecular dynamics and the charge transport in mixtures of zwitterionic polymers of the type poly(3-[N-(omega-methacryloyloxyalkyl)-N, N-dimethylammonio]propanesulfonate) with sodium iodide in the frequency range of 10(2) Hz-10(7) Hz and in the temperature range of 110 K-400 K. The amount of inorganic salt added varies from 0-200 mol-% relative to the number of zwitterionic groups present in the polymer, contributing strongly to the conductivity. One relaxation process is observed whose relaxation rate depends strongly on the length of the aliphatic spacer between the polymethacrylate main chain and the zwitterionic group. Exhibiting an Arr…

Neural cell pattern formation on glass and oxidized silicon surfaces modified with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

Control over the adsorption of proteins and over the adsorption and spatial orientation of mammalian cells onto surfaces has been achieved by modification of glass and other silicon oxide substrates with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). The functionalization of the substrates was achieved either by a polymer-analogous reaction of aminosilanes with reactive N-(isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAM)-copolymers and by copolymerization of NIPAM with surface-bound methacrylsilane. The obtained coatings were characterized by FT-1R, ellipsometry, and surface plasmon resonance measurements. The adsorption of two proteins-fibrinogen and ribonuclease A-on these surfaces was studied in situ by real time su…

Self-organization of hydrophobized polyzwitterions

Abstract Several series of copolymers of different geometry were synthesized from zwitterionic surfactant monomers and polar non-ionic comonomers. Bulk properties were investigated by d.s.c. and X-ray scattering. The copolymers were amorphous, but exhibited superstructures up to high commonomer contents. Solubility of the copolymers was determined as a function of geometry and composition. From the results, a main chain spacer model has been derived. All water-soluble copolymers exhibited characteristic features of classical polysoaps, as shown by surface tension measurements and by solubilization of pyrene. But gradual differences depending on the polymer geometry were observed for the sol…

Zwitterionic polymers [CH 2 CR(COOR')] n (R= H, Me; R'= (CH 2 ) 11 + NMe 2 (CH 2 ) 3 SO 3 - , (CH 2 ) 2 + N(CH 3 )([CH 2 ] 3 SO 3 - )C 10 H 21 ) are studied by X-ray scattering. The structural order both in the short-range and long-range scale is investigated. The influence of the polymer backbone, of different locations of the ionic groups in isomeric polymers, of bound water and of added inorganic salts on the bulk structures is studied, and the observed rearrangements are analysed