This research focuses on the preparation and characterization of novel amphiphilic new monomers and polymers that contain both cationic and anionic charges. The polymers to be studied will be polyampholytes from hydrophobically-based ion-pair comonomers and polyaminimides from dipolar ionic monomers. These systems will incorporate hydrophobic substituents with cationic and anionic substituents such that increased polymer-polymer inter- actions in apolar solvents can occur. The combination of electrostatic and hydrophobic (apolar) interactions in polar solvents is believed to lead to aggregation or gelation when such polymer systems are placed under shear. The research should increase understanding of the relatively rare phenomena of shear thickening.
