Novel water-soluble block copolymers of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and dihydroxypropyl methacrylate

In this publication we describe the synthesis and properties of a novel type of block copolymer. The anionically synthesised block copolymer consists of a neutral, watersoluble block (2,3‐dihydroxypropyl methacrylate, HMA) and a pH‐dependently charged one (2‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, AMA). The adsorption on silica and its effect on the colloidal stability were evaluated. The adsorbed amount is mainly determined by the electrostatics, which leads to a maximum adsorbed amount at low AMA content. The block copolymers tend to destabilise colloidal silica, due to a charge neutralisation upon adsorption, which is not compensated by the formation of a steric layer.