Effect of the Counterion of Styrenesulfonic and Maleic Acid Copolymer on the Properties of Its Complexes with Polyvinyl Alcohol

In this work, the interaction of a copolymer of styrene sulfonic and maleic acids in acidic and salt forms with polyvinyl alcohol in a wide concentration range was studied using light scattering and viscometry methods, and it was shown that the nature of the copolymer counterion has a significant effect on the properties of the resulting interpolymer complexes. In dilute solutions, polyvinyl alcohol interacts only with the salt form of the copolymer. In semi-dilute solutions, both forms of the copolymer interact with polyvinyl alcohol, but water-soluble complexes for all ratios of the copolymer and polyvinyl alcohol are formed only with the participation of the acid form of the copolymer.