Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide). I. Interactions with sodium dodecyl sulfate measured by conductivity

Abstract Conductometric titration of poly( N ‐isopropylacrylamide) (polyNIPAM) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gave two apparent transitions labeled C1 and C2. The C1 transition was independent of polyNIPAM concentration in the 0.05–0.3 wt % range, whereas C2 was proportional to the polymer concentration. C1 corresponded to the onset of binding of surfactant with polymer. Arguments based on a simple mass action model for micellization are presented to show that C2, the second transition, is not due to any simple explanation such as being the point above which only free micelles are formed with surfactant addition. The cloud point of polyNIPAM increased with the amount of bound surfactant. This was attributed to electrostatic contribution of bound sulfate groups to the increased solubility of polyNIPAM. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.