Viscosity of water-soluble polymers

Finch describes the difficulties in measuring solution viscosity of water soluble polymers. Since polyvinyl acetals have both water soluble and non-water soluble segments, solvent type plus inter- and intramolecular heterogeneity also influence viscosity. 

Evidence for hydrophobe incorporation is easy to observe in the solution properties (e.g. viscosity) of water soluble polymers containing such groups. It is also possible to develop inferential relationships between levels of hydrophobic monomer or reagent charged to the reaction vessel and the final solution viscosity of the polymer. However, detailed analytical data on hydrophobe incorporation, especially for simple alkyl hydrophobes has proven difficult to obtain. Among the characterization techniques that have been used are NMR,... 

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