KINETICS OF POLYELECTROLYTE ADSORPTION ON CELLULOSIC FIBRES

The present investigation has focused up on the study of the adsorption of three different molecular mass fractions of a polyDiMethylDiAllylAmmoniumChloride (DMDAAC) (8750(LM\ulcorner), 48000(MM\ulcorner) and 1200000(HM\ulcorner)) on bleached chemical fibres. Both kinetics of adsorption and equilibrium adsorption measurements have been conducted and each adsorption has been measured by polyelectrolyte titration. The results show that the LM\ulcorner polymer can reach all of the charges in the fibre wall whereas the MM\ulcorner and HM\ulcorner can only reach the external surfaces of the fibres. It is also shown that the kinetics of adsorption of the LMw polymer is not at all affected by the presence of a saturated layer of HMw polymer on the surface of the fibres. Finally, the results from the investigation show that it is possible to have full coverage of the external surface of the fibres by a high molecular mass polymer and a full coverage of the internal surface of the fibres with a low molecular mass polymer. This is true if the high molecular masspolymer is added first followed by addition of the low molecular masspolymer.