A polyampholyte was prepared from polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) by sulfonation, followed by bromination, and then the substitution of bromine by a quaternary ammonium group and tertiary amine group. The aqueous solution properties of the polyelectrolyte and polyampholyte with different ionic groups were investigated by viscometric measurement and rheological behavior measurement. The results show that the viscosities of the polyelectrolyte and polyampholyte were not only dependent on the nature of acid and base substituents along the polymer chain but also on the external factors, such as pH and small-molecule electrolytes. In pure water, the rheological behavior of the polyelectrolyte showed an obvious critical shear rate in this circumstance; the polyampholyte showed a relatively stable shear rate compared with the polyelectrolyte. However, in salt-saturated water, the viscosity decreased quickly with increasing shear rate. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013