Formation of fractals by the self-assembly of interpolymer adducts of polymethacrylic acid with complementary polymers in aqueous solution

Abstract

Interpolymer adducts of poly(methacrylic acid), (PMAA), with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) in presence of sodium chloride or potassium chloride form highly ordered fractal patterns in films on glass surface on drying at ambient temperature. The structure, morphology and the conditions under which the formation of fractal patterns occurs were investigated by SEM, EDX and confocal microscopic techniques. Self-organization of PMAA with complementary polymers such as poly(vinylpyrrolidone) is well-known and in the presence of sodium chloride formation of the fractals in films of the adducts is a novel observation. Fractal formation occurs due to the aggregation of interpolymer adducts. The composition of the fractals in the film is studied by EDX and confocal microscopic images of the fluorophores covalently bound to PMAA. In presence of salts, sodium chloride or potassium chloride, micellar like entities of 80 nm size were formed which further aggregate to form fractal patterns. It is suggested that the fractals result from the interpolymer adduct by Diffusion Limited Aggregation mechanism. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2012 Indian Academy of Sciences.