THE RELATIVE VISCOSITY OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF Na-CARBOXY¬METHYLCELLULOSE AND ITS VARI-ATION DEPENDING ON THE ACIDITY OF THE MEDIUM, TEMPERATURE AND EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAG-NETIC FIELD

The effect of pH on the relative viscosity of dilute Na-CMC solutions was studied. It shows a monotonic increase with increasing pH. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range 5–30 °C. Based on the dependence of the relative viscosity on temperature, the temperature coefficients of viscosity and the activation energy of the viscous flow of polymer solutions were determined. An increase in the activation energy in alkali solutions of Na-CMC is shown. An increase in the relative viscosity of solutions is established when water, exposed to an electromagnetic field of 170 MHz, is used as a solvent. The effect is observed with all the pH and temperature used in the work. The maximum viscosity increase of 0.1% solutions is observed at a temperature of 15 °C and pH = 12 and is 16.5%. As the polymer concentration increases from 0.1 to 0.5%, higher viscosity values of the solutions prepared in the water irradiated with the electromagnetic field are also observed, as compared to the control samples. An increase in the activation energy of the viscous flow of solutions prepared in irradiated water has also been established. The cause of the observed phenomena can be the weakening of solvation processes in irradiated water and an increase in the rigidity of the chain of macromolecules.