Dilute aqueous solutions of stiff-chain polyelectrolytes having a poly(p-phenylene) (PPP) backbone were studied by means of electric birefringence and some supplementary conductivity measurements. The PPP polyelectrolytes form molecular solutions, whose electrically induced birefringence rises with field strength according to Kerr’s law. From an estimate of the optical anisotropy of the chain backbone, it becomes clear that the anisotropy of the ionic polarizability responsible for the orientation in an electric field is about 5–6 orders of magnitude larger than that of the electronic (optical) polarizability. It increases markedly with rising molecular weight (rod- length) of the polyelectrolyte. The anisotropy of the electric polarizability seems to be due to the ion cloud and not the condensed ions. This interpretation is obtained from a comparison of the changes of electric birefringence and electric conductivity upon addition of a low molecular weight electrolyte.
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1 January 2002
Research Article|
January 01 2002
Electric birefringence of dilute aqueous solutions of poly(p-phenylene) polyelectrolytes Available to Purchase
J. Chem. Phys. 116, 392–398 (2002)
Article history
Received:
August 13 2001
Accepted:
October 09 2001
Citation
Katja LachenmayerWilhelm Oppermann; Electric birefringence of dilute aqueous solutions of poly(p-phenylene) polyelectrolytes. J. Chem. Phys. 1 January 2002; 116 (1): 392–398. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1423618
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