Behavior study of polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution in presence of short chain micelle-forming polyols

Interactions in aqueous solution between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and various short chain nonionic polyols surfactants having six to nine carbon atoms and two to three hydroxyl groups are investigated using tensiometry, viscosity, and dynamic laser light scattering techniques. Despite the fact that weak interactions are noticed, they begin to occur at surfactant concentrations far lower than the Critical Micellar Concentration. Partition coefficients of the surfactants between water and the PVA macromolecules are determined, and the contributions of the surfactant alkyl chain length on one hand and of the hydroxyl groups on the other hand to the PVA interactions with monomer surfactants are discussed in terms of thermodynamic contributions.