Interaction of sodium dodecyl sulfate with polyelectrolyte complexes derived from diazoresin and sulfonate-containing polymers

The sulfonate-containing polyelectrolytes (SPE) from sulfonation of polystyrene (PS) and copolymerization of 3-sulfo-propyl methacrylate, potassium salt (SPMS) with styrene (S) were prepared. Photosensitive polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC_DR) derived from SPE and diazoresin (DR), which does not dissolve in water or organic solvent due to its ionic crosslinking structure, dissolves in aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) due to the dissociation of PEC_DR and the hydrophobic interaction between SDS and the polymer chain. The photosensitive behavior and thermostability of the PEC_DR were investigated, and it was found that the thermostability of PEC_DR increases dramatically in SDS aqueous solution. It was proposed that the higher thermostability of PEC_DR in SDS aqueous solution is due to an aggregation of SDS molecules around the diazonium group of the PEC_DR, which protects the  N group of the DR from attack by the nucleophiles. The image-forming behavior of PEC_DR by ultraviolet (UV) light was examined and considered to be different from other PECs. It was concluded that the photoimaging behavior of PEC_DR is based on a reaction in which an ionic bond converts to a covalent bond. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2601–2606, 1999