Polyelectrolyte Complex Coacervation across a Broad Range of Charge Densities
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Polyelectrolyte complex coacervates of homologous (co)polyelectrolytes with a near-ideally random distribution of a charged and neutral ethylene oxide comonomer were synthesized. The unique platform provided by these building blocks enabled an investigation of the phase behavior across charge fractions 0.10 ≤ f ≤ 1.0. Experimental phase diagrams for f = 0.30–1.0 were obtained from thermogravimetric analysis of complex and supernatant phases and contrasted with molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical scaling laws. At intermediate to high f, a dependence of polymer weight fraction in the salt-free coacervate phase ( w P,c ) of w P,c ∼ f 0.37±0.01 was extracted; this trend was in good agreement with accompanying simulation predictions. Below f = 0.50, w P,c was found to decrease more dramatically, qualitatively in line with theory and simulations predicting an exponent of 2/3 at f ≤ 0.25. Preferential salt partitioning to either coacervate or supernatant was found to be dictated by the chemistry of the constituent (co)polyelectrolytes.
Source: Macromolecules
Institutions: Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago
Language: English
Subfield: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,000
OpenAlex ID: W3179889299