Complexation behavior of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene oxide) in water and water-methanol

To investigate the effects of solvent type and temperature on the interpolymer complexation via hydrogen bonding, a study was made on the complex system of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in two kinds of solvent systems, pure water and water-MeOH (30 wt%) mixed solvent, at various temperatures using the Ubbelohde viscometer, pH-meter, and UV spectrophotometer. The repeating unit mole ratio at the most optimum complexation as confirmed by the reduced viscosity measurement was shifted from [PEO]/[PAA] approximate to 1.25:1 to 1.5:1 by the addition of methanol to water. From the UV measurement, the deviation from the "isosbestic point" (where the absorbance of the solution remains constant) has presented another evidence for the solvent effect on complexation. In addition, the analysis of the changes in thermodynamic properties upon complexation as well as the fraction of carboxyls associated with PEO oxygens and the complex stability constant as estimated by potentiometric titration at several temperatures reveals that the complex formation in mixed solvent became more unfavorable compared to that in pure solvent at high temperatures above 30 degrees C. This could be explained by considering that in water the hydrophobic interaction as well as the hydrogen bonding may greatly contribute to the stabilization of the polymer complex formed, while in water-methanol the main stabilizing force would be the hydrogen bonding alone.