Reversibility of Polyester Adsorption on Glass

The adsorption of poly(ethylene o-phthalate) from chloroform solution on glass powder and aluminum oxide was studied. The adsorption of a number of fractions, varying in number average molecular weight from 970 to 6250 showed a decrease in the moles of polymer adsorbed with increase in molecular weight. The results are interpreted to indicate that this polymer molecule lies in a relatively flattened conformation on the glass surface. More polymer was adsorbed on glass powder at 50 °C than at 0 °C. Adsorption on glass powder that had been outgassed to remove adsorbed water was less than on untreated glass. Initial adsorption at one temperature followed by exposure at the other temperature resulted in complete reversibility of sorption on the untreated glass. Decreasing the temperature from 50 to 0 °C resulted in desorption from the outgassed glass, but increasing the temperature did not result in additional adsorption. These differences are ascribed in part to adsorption across an adsorbed water layer on the untreated glass. An explanation for the "one-direction reversibility" observed for the outgassed glass is presented.