ABSTRACT
The behavior of polymers at phase boundaries in general has been discussed by Silberberg and also by Kipling more specifically in the comparison of their experimentally observed adsorption behavior with that of small-molecule solutes. As in other areas, the interfacial behavior of synthetic polymers may be used as models and analogs for that of biopolymers. It is likely that elucidation of both of these aspects of protein behavior can come from studies on the interfacial behavior of synthetic ampholytic copolymers. Contamination by other polymers is a much more difficult problem to deal with, often an intractable one, particularly where it involves the presence of comonomer unit contaminants within the same polymer chain. Polymers have important applications in increasing emulsion stability. With water-soluble polymers, the most efficient is the amphiphilic type, especially copolymers with one monomer highly hydrophilic and the other highly hydrophobic.
