STATIC AND DYNAMIC LIGHT-SCATTERING CHARACTERIZATION OF SOLUTIONS OF HYDROPHOBICALLY ASSOCIATING FLUOROCARBON-CONTAINING POLYMERS

Static and dynamic light scattering measurements have been performed on solutions of a polyacrylamide containing small amounts of the comonomer, 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido)ethyl acrylate. These copolymers demonstrate large viscosity enhancements at concentrations of perfluorinated hydrophobe one-tenth as great as that required for similar enhancements in other hydrophobically or ionomerically associating systems. Light scattering studies of the copolymers show complex behavior indicative of large aggregates even at concentrations as low as 10 ppm. At various concentrations, several diffusive relaxations are observed which are identified with aggregates, single chains, and gel modes. With the addition of surfactant to the solutions, single-chain behavior was observed. A temperature-dependent and q-independent slow relaxation was also observed in the low-concentration regime.