Studies on polyelectrolytes. I. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose

Various physicochemical properties of sodium carboxymethylcellulose solutions, namely, viscosity, pH-effect, salt-effect, and conductivity have been measured. The peculiar characteristics of these solutions compared to those of neutral polymers on the one hand and strong electrolyte on the other have been attributed to the polyelectrolytic nature of sodium carboxymethylcellulose. A critical discussion has shown that only by the folding chain theory could all the experimental results be satisfactorily explained