| Abstract: | The electric birefringence of sodium polyethylenesulfonate in water has been studied. For a low molecular weight fraction, the electric field dependence followed the Kerr law quite closely. For a higher molecular weight fraction, the specific Kerr constant was much larger, and pronounced saturation of the electric birefringence was observed in fields of 15 kv./cm. The specific Kerr constant increased with decreasing polyelectrolyte concentration in pure water. On the other hand, it decreased on isoionic dilution. The saturation effect was the more marked, the lower the polyelectrolyte concentration. The saturation behavior resembled that of permanent dipole orientation, but this mechanism was not supported by the build-up of the birefringence. The magnitudes of specific Kerr constants of various types of macromolecules in solution are tabulated and discussed. |
