Amphoteric statistical equivalent copolymers (P(2VP/NaSS)n) composed of 2-vinylpyridine (2VP) and anionic sodium p-styrenesulfonate (NaSS) were prepared via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The degrees of polymerization (n) were 19 and 95. The monomer reactivity ratio, time conversion profile, and 1H NMR diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) suggested that the copolymerization of 2VP and NaSS provided statistical or near to random copolymers. The P(2VP/NaSS)n exhibited an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in acidic aqueous solutions on the basis of the charge inter-actions between the protonated cationic 2VP and anionic NaSS units. With an increase in pH value, the interaction was weakened because of the deprotonation of the 2VP units, thus reducing the UCST. At high [NaCl], the electrostatic interactions among the polymers were weakened because of the screening effect, and again, the UCST was reduced. With an increase in polymer concentration, the intra- and interpolymer interactions increased because of some entanglement, and the UCST consequently increased. Electrostatic interactions among the polymer chains with high molecular weight occurred easier than in the low-molecular-weight polymer chains, which increased the UCST. The UCST also increased when deuterium oxide was used instead of hydrogen oxide, which was due to the isotopic effect. Hence, the UCST of P(2VP/NaSS)n can be adjusted according to the desired application.

Upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior of polystyrene-based polyampholytes in water

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