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Interactions between charged surfaces immersed in a polyelectrolyte solution

Turesson, Martin LU ; Åkesson, Torbjörn LU and Forsman, Jan LU (2007) In Langmuir 23(19). p.9555-9558
Abstract
With grand canonical simulations invoking a configurationally weighted scheme, we have calculated interactions between charged surfaces immersed in a polyelectrolyte, solution. In contrast to previous simulations of such systems, we have imposed full equilibrium conditions (i.e., we have included diffusive equilibrium with a bulk solution). This has a profound impact on the resulting interactions: even at modest surface charge densities, oppositely charged chains will, at sufficiently large separations, adsorb strongly enough to overcompensate for the nominal surface charge. This phenomenon, known as charge inversion, generates a double-layer repulsion and a free-energy barrier. Simpler canonical approaches, where the chains are assumed to... (More)
With grand canonical simulations invoking a configurationally weighted scheme, we have calculated interactions between charged surfaces immersed in a polyelectrolyte, solution. In contrast to previous simulations of such systems, we have imposed full equilibrium conditions (i.e., we have included diffusive equilibrium with a bulk solution). This has a profound impact on the resulting interactions: even at modest surface charge densities, oppositely charged chains will, at sufficiently large separations, adsorb strongly enough to overcompensate for the nominal surface charge. This phenomenon, known as charge inversion, generates a double-layer repulsion and a free-energy barrier. Simpler canonical approaches, where the chains are assumed to neutralize the surfaces perfectly, will not capture this stabilizing barrier. The barrier height increases with the length of the polyions. Interestingly enough, the separation at which the repulsion becomes attractive is independent of chain length. The short chains here are unable to reach across from one surface to the other. We therefore conclude that the transition to an attractive regime is not provided by the formation of such "intersurface" bridges. With long chains and at large separations, charge inversion displays decaying oscillatory behavior (i.e., the apparent surface charge switches sign once again). This is due to polyion packing effects. We have also investigated responses to salt addition and changes in polyelectrolyte concentration. Our results are in qualitative and semi quantitative agreement with experimental findings, although it should be noted that our chains are comparatively short, and the experimental surface charge density is poorly established. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Langmuir
volume
23
issue
19
pages
9555 - 9558
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000249241300009
  • scopus:34848892750
ISSN
0743-7463
DOI
10.1021/la7017852
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Theoretical Chemistry (S) (011001039)
id
556ecbf3-047c-4ab8-b8ce-3a2a768bdc8f (old id 687860)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:32:23
date last changed
2023-01-03 18:00:03
@article{556ecbf3-047c-4ab8-b8ce-3a2a768bdc8f,
  abstract     = {{With grand canonical simulations invoking a configurationally weighted scheme, we have calculated interactions between charged surfaces immersed in a polyelectrolyte, solution. In contrast to previous simulations of such systems, we have imposed full equilibrium conditions (i.e., we have included diffusive equilibrium with a bulk solution). This has a profound impact on the resulting interactions: even at modest surface charge densities, oppositely charged chains will, at sufficiently large separations, adsorb strongly enough to overcompensate for the nominal surface charge. This phenomenon, known as charge inversion, generates a double-layer repulsion and a free-energy barrier. Simpler canonical approaches, where the chains are assumed to neutralize the surfaces perfectly, will not capture this stabilizing barrier. The barrier height increases with the length of the polyions. Interestingly enough, the separation at which the repulsion becomes attractive is independent of chain length. The short chains here are unable to reach across from one surface to the other. We therefore conclude that the transition to an attractive regime is not provided by the formation of such "intersurface" bridges. With long chains and at large separations, charge inversion displays decaying oscillatory behavior (i.e., the apparent surface charge switches sign once again). This is due to polyion packing effects. We have also investigated responses to salt addition and changes in polyelectrolyte concentration. Our results are in qualitative and semi quantitative agreement with experimental findings, although it should be noted that our chains are comparatively short, and the experimental surface charge density is poorly established.}},
  author       = {{Turesson, Martin and Åkesson, Torbjörn and Forsman, Jan}},
  issn         = {{0743-7463}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{19}},
  pages        = {{9555--9558}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{Langmuir}},
  title        = {{Interactions between charged surfaces immersed in a polyelectrolyte solution}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/la7017852}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/la7017852}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}