The adsorption of polymethyl methacrylate from solution

Polymethyl methacrylate has been adsorbed from solution onto glass and iron (oxide coated) surfaces. The adsorption isotherms have been studied as a function of solvent, molecular weight of polymer, and temperature. The solvent effect is significant and complicated depending on the interactions between polymer and solvent, polymer and surface, and solvent and surface. The amount of polymer adsorbed is relatively independent of molecular weight, and in all cases studied the amount adsorbed decreased with increasing temperature. It was found that the adsorption process was often not reversible in the usual time scale of an experiment. It was emphasized that thermodynamic and statistical thermodynamic arguments are not valid in these cases where adsorption is reversible.