Studies on the equilibrium among poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate), Cu2+, and iminodiacetic acid by ultrafiltration at constant ionic strength

The ultrafiltration technique evaluates the interactions of water‐soluble polymers with metal ions. Aqueous solutions containing poly(sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) (PSS), Cu(NO₃)₂, NaNO₃, and iminodiacetic acid (IDAA) are examined by this technique. Cu²⁺ undergoes complex formation with IDAA and intreracts electrostatically with PSS. On the other hand, Na⁺ ions are in competition with Cu²⁺ for the electrostatic binding to PSS. The solutions are ultrafiltered keeping the ionic strength constant, so their compositions are allowed to change continuously. The concentration of Cu²⁺ bound to the polymer showed an exponential decay during filtration. The concentration of Cu²⁺ bound to the polymer before ultrafiltration is calculated by extrapolation. The concentration of the different species in solution is proposed as a function of the filtration factor. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2587–2593, 2002