Cationic electrolyte copolymers of diallyldimethylammonium chloride with carboxybetaine 2-(diallyl(methyl) ammonio) acetate of various compositions in water solutions of different ionic strengths

Random copolymers of diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) and carboxybetaine 2-(diallyl(methyl)ammonio) acetate (DAMA) with different compositions (10%/90%), (50%/50%) and (70%/30%), as well as poly(DAMA) and poly(DADMAC) homopolymers, were synthesized. Molecular characteristics of poly(DADMAC–co–DAMA) copolymers and homopolymers were determined in water solutions in the presence of 0.1 M NaOH and a low molecular weight salt (NaCl in various concentrations) by viscometery, dynamic and static light scattering. Dependences of several important conformational parameters, such as swelling coefficient α, the Huggins constant k H , and the second virial coefficient A 2 , on copolymer composition (charge asymmetry) and NaCl concentration in solution were analyzed. It was shown that growth of charge asymmetry leads to sharp increase in copolymer size.