Asymmetric End-Capped Poly(ethylene oxide). Synthesis and Rheological Behavior in Aqueous Solution

A method was developed to prepare asymmetric end-capped poly(ethylene oxide)s (PEOs), containing an alkyl group on one chain end and a perfluoroalkyl group on the other one (C 18 H 37 −PEO−C 2 H 4 −C 8 F 17 and C 18 H 37 −PEO−C 10 H 20 −C 8 F 17 ). These new telechelic associative polymers (APs) were synthesized by anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide initiated by an alkoxide (C 18 H 37 −O − K + ) followed by esterification. The rheological behavior of asymmetric and analogous symmetric APs in aqueous solutions has been investigated as a function of polymer concentration ( C ), hydrophobic end-cap and surfactant used to homogenize the system: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or lithium perfluorooctyl sulfonate (LiFOS). A steep increase of the static viscosity η, attributed to the formation of a multiconnected network, is observed for C ≈ 1 wt %. Semidilute solutions present a Maxwellian rheological behavior with only one relaxation time τ associated with the least hydrophobic end group. The viscoelastic response is modified by the interactions between hydrophobic end groups and surfactant inside mixed aggregates.