Macromolecules
May 1996
Volume 29, Issue 11, Pages 3956-3959 


Nonionic polymer-salt interactions in dilute solution:
The poly(ethylene oxide)/LiClO₄/methanol system

P. A. Banka, J. C. Selser, B. Wang, D. K. Shenoy and R. Martin 
Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4002

Abstract:
The interaction of lithium perchlorate with high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in dilute methanol solutions was studied using cloud point measurements, static and dynamic light scattering, and viscometry. For both good and poor solvent conditions, PEO/LiClO₄ complexes form in coil outer portions and charge-charge repulsions between these complexes swell the PEO coils and result in repulsive interactions between coils. A noteworthy consequence of this nonionic polymer -- polyelectrolyte conversion is the ''salting in'' of PEO in methanol by LiClO₄.

Article Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Experimental Section
3. Results and discussion
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References and notes