Head-group effect of surfactants of cationic type in interaction with propoxylated sodium salt of polyacrylic acid in aqueous solution

Polyacrylic acid (PAA) partially (50 mol.%) neutralized by sodium hydroxide was propoxylated by propylene oxide (PO) obtaining terpolymer (PNPAA). The conductivity and tensiometry measurements were used to study an interaction of PNPAA with ionic-liquid surfactants of cationic type–nonylethylolammonium bromides in aqueous solutions of different concentrations at 25 °C. From the results of these measurements, critical aggregation concentrations, critical micelle concentrations and the effective degree of counterion binding were determined. Depending on the nature of head-group of the cationic surfactant, the polyelectrolyte-surfactant interaction was studied and its impact on colloidal-chemical parameters of the polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexes was clarified. Petroleum-collecting properties of the obtained polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexes have been studied in various waters of a different mineralization degree. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.