POLYMER PROBE INTERACTION IN PROBE DIFFUSION THROUGH A POLYMER MATRIX - METHYL RED DIFFUSION IN POLY(VINYL ACETATE) TOLUENE SOLUTIONS

Abstract

The effect of hydrogen-bonding interaction on the probe diffusion was studied by forced Rayleigh scattering for the diffusion of methyl red derivatives through poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) solutions. In semidilute toluene solutions of PVAc, the effect of hydrogen bonding on the probe diffusion was confirmed from the different diffusion behavior of four methyl red derivatives. It was found that the dependence of reduced tracer diffusion coefficients D/D0 of probes of polymer concentration C are well represented by the relation D/Do = exp(-aC(nu)) where Do is the diffusion coefficient of the probe in the pure solvent. The effect of hydrogen-bonding interaction on D is reflected both in nu and a; nu decreases while a increases relative to the system without hydrogen-bonding interaction.