Polymer-colloid complexes in three-component system: poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid)-poly(ethylene oxide)-silica sol in aqueous medium

Complex formation in the model three-component system, including polymer-polymer complex of poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) (PSMA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and also silica sol (SiO₂) in aqueous solution as a function of molecular weight of PEO and the order of component mixing, were investigated. The degree of binding of PSMA links with PEO and SiO₂ as well as the Gibbs energy of formation of the polymer-polymer complex and polymer-colloid complexes were defined. It was shown that the main factor of stabilization of the structure is hydrogen bonds. The conditions of three-component polymer-colloid system are practically independent of the order of component mixing. The spontaneous formation of polymer-colloid complexes between chemically complementary polymers and small dispersed particles is considered as the main reason for the abnormally high binding ability of colloid particles to the polymer-polymer complex.