THE INTERACTION BETWEEN POLYELECTROLYTE COMPLEXES MADE FROM POLY(DIMETHYLDIALLYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE) (PDMDAAC) AND POLY(MALEIC ACID-CO-ALPHA-METHYLSTYRENE) (P(MS-ALPHA-MESTY)) AND CELLULOSIC MATERIALS

The interaction between the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride) (PDMDAAC) and poly(maleic acid-co-alpha-methylstyrene) (P(MS-alpha-MeSty)) in the presence of cellulose or a mixture of cellulose and clay, respectively, has been investigated. The application of different methods allowed the characterization of flocculation and surface modification. It has been found for step-by-step addition that the flocculation behaviour of this two-component system (dual system) depends on the molar ratio of the two polymers used and also on the concentration of polycation. Only at a certain concentration of PDMDAAC does the two component system lead to a considerable improvement in the flocculation behaviour and in surface modification, as compared to a pure polycation. The addition of a premixed polyelectrolyte complex has also been found to be a successful method. However, the mechanism of flocculation is supposed to be different for complexes with different molar ratios.