Adsorption of polymers at the solution–solid interface. XIV. Adsorption and steric stabilization with styrene–acrylonitrile copolymers

The adsorption of random copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile of azeotropic composition from their trichloroethylene solutions onto precipitated silica exhibits a maximum at intermediate molecular weights. These copolymers are able to stabilize dispersions of some, but not all, grades of precipitated silica; here, too, a maximum effect is found at intermediate molecular weights. Copolymers are partially desorbed by ethyl cyanide, which destabilizes silica dispersions. Block copolymers of low acrylonitrile contents do not stabilize well but, when preadsorbed, affect the behavior of subsequently adsorbed random copolymers. In particular, high molecular weight random copolymers flocculate the pretreated silica; silica with grafted polyacrylonitrile chains may also be flocculated by these copolymers.