Effect of aging time on the viscoelastic properties of amphiphilic polymer-polyacid supramolecular solution

An amphiphilic polymer-based supramolecular system was formulated by exploring the electrostatic interactions between the cationic amphiphilic polymer and polyacid. The effect of aging time on the viscoelastic properties, salt and temperature tolerance, shear resistance, and viscosity recovery of the system was explored by means of rheological measurements. The intrinsic relationship between the viscoelasticity of the system at different aging times and their dynamic growth was studied by macro-rheological and optical micro-rheological methods. The results show that under the influence of various factors, the viscoelastic properties of the supramolecular system increase significantly with aging. Optical micro-rheological studies demonstrated that the viscoelasticity of the system continues to increase over a period of 30 days. After aging, the viscoelastic results indicate the formation of a strong gel. This study clearly demonstrates that the aging time is a key factor that should be considered in the formulation of supramolecular systems formed by the electrostatic interaction between the cationic amphiphilic polymer and polyacid. Published under license by AIP Publishing.