Polymers containing phtalimidoalkyl groups in the side chains. Effect of the alkyl groups in monolayers at the air-water interface

Surface activity of poly(methacrylate)s containing phthalimidoalkyl groups was studied. Surface pressure-area isotherms (-A) at the air-water interface were determined. These polymers form stable and condensed monolayers. The monolayers are more condensed and the limiting surface area A0 values decrease when the number of the methylene groups in the lateral chains increases. Surface pressure variation at the semidilute region of the monolayers was expressed in terms of the scaling laws as power function of the surface concentration. The static elasticity eo and the exponent of the excluded volume ? were determined. The hydrophobicity degree of polymers was estimated from the determination of the total surface free energy values by wettability measurements. Molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) was performed in order to explain the experimental behavior of polymers at the air-water interface.