Association behavior of linear co-functionalized polybutadienes in cyclohexane

The dilute solution properties of linear polybutadienes with dimethylamine and zwitterionic end groups were studied by membrane osmometry (MO), low-angle laser light scattering (LALLS), viscometry, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) in cyclohexane. The polymers were prepared by anionic polymerization, under high vacuum conditions using [3-(dimethylamino)propyl]lithium as initiator. The dimethylamine groups were converted to zwitterions by reaction with cyclopropane sultone. No evidence of association was found for the amine-capped polymers, whereas the zwitterionic samples exhibited strong association in cyclohexane. The degrees of association increase by decreasing molecular weight of the base polymer due to the excluded volume repulsions. These aggregation numbers are of the same order as those found for ω-functionalized polyisoprenes, with the same polar groups in the same solvent. The hydrodynamic properties, measured by viscometry and dynamic light scattering, supported the conclusions drawn by LALLS and provide strong evidence that the aggregates behave hydrodynamically as star polymers. Comparison with theoretical models shows that the association behavior is best described by the linear head packing model.