Photophysical and viscometric properties of naphthalene-labeled acrylamide/N,N-dimethyl maleimido propyl ammonium propane sulfonate copolymer

 The synthesis, viscometric, and fluorescence properties of a water-soluble zwitterionic sulfobetaine copolymer, poly(ADMMAPS)/NA, are reported. When fluorescent hydrophobes (naphthyl group) are incorporated into the zwitterionic copolymer, the photophysical response may effectively probe solution behavior on the microscopic level. Experimental results indicate that I _E/I _M steadily increases with increases in polymer concentration. I _E/I _M in aqueous solution is greater than that in aqueous potassium chloride solution. Dynamic light scattering (QELS) measurements show that hydrodynamic diameters of the naphthalene-labeled zwitterionic sulfobetaine copolymer increase with an increasing salt concentration. Viscosity studies reveal that the polymer coil expanded as more salt is added. In fluorescence quenching study, the reduction in the quenching efficiency of Tl⁺ with salt addition can arise from enhanced compartmentalization of naphthalene labels as added electrolyte enhances intrapolymer micellization. The intrapolymer micelle is easily formed, indicating that the thallium ion has difficulty reacting with bound naphthalenes located in the polymer coil. The naphthalene-labeled zwitterionic sulfobetaine copolymer is depicted as a compacted polymer coil conformation in deionized water because of intra-and inter-associations. Consequently, salt addition breaks up the associations and enhances the intrapolymer micellization. The microscopic and macroscopic behaviors of zwitterionic sulfobetaine copolymer differ a lot from those of the corresponding cationic copolymer. Received: 4 February 1997 Accepted: 1 May 1997