The surface films of a series of nylons prepared from ω-aminocarboxylic acids and with 2 to 11 CH2 groups per monomer unit (Nylons 3 to 12) have been studied at the air/water interface in order to investigate the correlation of the film properties with the numbers of CH2 groups. The film of Nylon 9 at the oil/water interface and that of polynonamethylene urea at the air/water interface have also been studied.
The film of Nylon 3 on the 40% ammonium sulfate subsolution was of the condensed type and the area occupied per residue was quite small, probably because of the especially strong hydrogen bonds between amide groups. On the other hand, the films of Nylons 4, 5 and 6 on 40% ammonium sulfate and that of Nylon 6 on distilled water were of the expanded type. These polymers might be spread in rather flexible states because of the effect of the increased number of CH2 groups.
Nylons 8 to 12 and polyurea gave condensed films on distilled water, their limiting areas per residue being much smaller than the areas calculated for the fully extended chains. The condensation of the films might be primarily caused by the increased van der Waals attractive force between hydrocarbon groups, as has been proved by the remarkable expansion of Nylon 9 film at the petroleum ether/distilled water interface. The small limiting areas of these polymer films have been interpreted by assuming that the hydrocarbon chains are folded near these areas. Nylon 7 was found to give an intermediate film between expanded films, such as Nylons 4 to 6, and condensed films, such as Nylons 8 to 12.
Interesting differences in the film properties of odd- and even-numbered nylons have been found with Nylons 8 to 12. Odd-numbered nylons occupied somewhat larger areas per residue than even-numbered nylons, and the maximum surface moments of the formers were higher than those of the latters. This is the result of the difference in shapes of the folded chains between the two series of nylons.
The surface viscosities of Nylons 8 to 12, with the exception of the last, were first detected at larger areas than the close-packed areas calculated for the fully-extended chains. The areas found for even-numbered nylons were much smaller than those for odd-numbered ones. This may be attributed to the difference in modes of hydrogen bond formation between amide groups.
A remarkable effect of the concentrated sulfuric acid subsolution on the film properties of Nylons 6 to 9 has been found, and interpreted as being due to the protonation to the amide linkages.