On the stability of (highly aggregated) polyelectrolyte complexes containing a charged block-neutral diblockcopolymer

P.S. Hofs, A. de Keizer, M.A. Cohen Stuart

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    35 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Using light scattering and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, we show that highly aggregated polyelectrolyte complexes (HAPECs) composed of poly([4-(2-aminoethylthio)butylene] hydrochloride)49-block-poly(ethylene oxide)212 and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) of varying lengths (140, 160, and 2000 monomeric units) are metastable or unstable if the method of preparation is direct mixing of two solutions containing the oppositely charged components. The stability of the resulting HAPECs decreases with decreasing neutral-block content and with increasing deviation from 1:1 mixing (expressed in number of chargeable groups) of the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, most probably for electrostatic reasons. The difference between the metastable and stable states, obtained with pH titrations, increases with increasing PAA length and increasing pH mismatch between the two solutions with the oppositely charged components
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)5621-5627
    JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Part B: Condensed Matter, Materials, Surfaces, Interfaces & Biophysical
    Volume111
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

    Keywords

    • protein-polysaccharide interactions
    • soluble complexes
    • core micelles
    • mechanism
    • kinetics
    • interpolyelectrolyte
    • coacervation
    • exchange
    • length

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