Adsorption studies of polyethers - Part 1. Adsorption onto hydrophobic surfaces

The influences of copolymer molar mass and PEO/PPO block molar masses, anchor fraction and solution concentration on the adsorption characteristics of PEO/PPO/PEO triblock copolymers adsorbed onto model polystyrene latices have been investigated. The adsorbed amount was determined by the standard depletion method and the hydrodynamic thickness of the adsorbed layer by photon correlation spectroscopy. Model polystyrene latices prepared by the surfactant-free method were used as adsorbents. The adsorbed amount and the hydrodynamic layer thickness were found to be strongly dependent on the copolymer molar mass, PEO/PPO block masses and the copolymer solution concentration. The conformation of the adsorbed copolymer is determined by the surface-copolymer interaction and, principally, by interaction of the hydrophobic PPO block with the latex surface. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.