Effect of salt on coformation of low molecular weight sodium polystyrene sulfonate

Abstract

The dimensional changes of the sodium sulfonated polystyrene of low molecular weight 70kDa with the variation of the salt (NaCl) were studied using dynamic light scattering and viscosity measurements. It was found from the viscosity measurements that the sample viscosity decreased on the increasing the added electrolyte concentration from 0M to 2M. From the dynamic light scattering measurements we found the hydrodynamic radius of the polyelectrolyte decreased from ~ 33 nm at zero salt concentration to ~ 6nm at the highest electrolyte concentration of 2M.