Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.228, No.1, 186-189, 2000
Reactivity and coaggregation of p-nitrophenyl esters with polymer micelles at solid surfaces
The polymer micelle, poly[(N-(n-dodecyl)-4-vinylpyridinium-co-N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridinium) bromide], PDE, containing 30% dodecyl groups has been found to promote the adhesion of lipophiles to various surfaces including quartz, polystyrene, and poly(methyl methacrylate) cuvette surfaces from aqueous solutions. The adsorption of PDE/ester coaggregates to the surfaces was studied by hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters in aqueous PDE(30) solutions. The extent of reaction of p-nitrophenyl myristate, an ester with a linear acyl carbon chain length of 14, can be viewed as a probe to study the adhesion of the PDE/ester coaggregates to the cuvette surfaces. The difference between initial concentration of ester and concentration of hydrolysis product, p-nitrophenoxide ion, gives the concentration of unreacted ester in the aggregates or film adhering to the solid surface. Up to 40% of p-nitrophenyl myristate was found unreacted on the surface of quartz cuvettes after apparent completion of the reaction. No adhesion of the related caproate eater with a linear acyl carbon chain length of 6 was detected.