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Complexation, phase separation, and redissolution in polyelectrolyte-macroion solutions

Skepö, Marie LU and Linse, Per LU (2003) In Macromolecules 36(2). p.508-519
Abstract
The complexation, phase separation, and redissolution of polyelectrolyte-macroion solutions have been studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. A simple model system with focus on the electrostatic interactions has been used to examine the properties of the macroion solutions at different amounts of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. As oppositely charged polyelectrolytes are added, the stable macroion solution with repelling macroions becomes successively less stable. The strong electrostatic attraction brings macroions and polyelectrolytes closely together, and slightly before macromolecular charge equivalence, distinct and repelling complexes formed by macroions and polyelectrolytes are established. At macromolecular charge... (More)
The complexation, phase separation, and redissolution of polyelectrolyte-macroion solutions have been studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. A simple model system with focus on the electrostatic interactions has been used to examine the properties of the macroion solutions at different amounts of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. As oppositely charged polyelectrolytes are added, the stable macroion solution with repelling macroions becomes successively less stable. The strong electrostatic attraction brings macroions and polyelectrolytes closely together, and slightly before macromolecular charge equivalence, distinct and repelling complexes formed by macroions and polyelectrolytes are established. At macromolecular charge equivalence, the system becomes unstable, and a large and loose cluster of macro

ons and polyelectrolytes is formed. Finally, in excess of polyelectrolytes, the

large cluster is broken up and the macroions are dispersed again-a

redissolution has occurred. The effect of the macroion radius, the

chain length, and the chain flexibility on the phase separation is also

investigated. A semiflexible chain displayed a smaller tendency to

promote phase instability as compared to flexible and stiff chains, the

origin most likely arising from the similar chain persistence length

and macroion

radius. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Macromolecules
volume
36
issue
2
pages
508 - 519
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000180601500033
  • scopus:0037469288
ISSN
0024-9297
DOI
10.1021/ma020634l
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
91fd7c13-bb28-4ea3-9dec-c2664ef9aa26 (old id 122208)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:18:53
date last changed
2022-04-21 05:48:07
@article{91fd7c13-bb28-4ea3-9dec-c2664ef9aa26,
  abstract     = {{The complexation, phase separation, and redissolution of polyelectrolyte-macroion solutions have been studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. A simple model system with focus on the electrostatic interactions has been used to examine the properties of the macroion solutions at different amounts of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. As oppositely charged polyelectrolytes are added, the stable macroion solution with repelling macroions becomes successively less stable. The strong electrostatic attraction brings macroions and polyelectrolytes closely together, and slightly before macromolecular charge equivalence, distinct and repelling complexes formed by macroions and polyelectrolytes are established. At macromolecular charge equivalence, the system becomes unstable, and a large and loose cluster of macro<br/><br>
ons and polyelectrolytes is formed. Finally, in excess of polyelectrolytes, the<br/><br>
	large cluster is broken up and the macroions are dispersed again-a<br/><br>
	redissolution has occurred. The effect of the macroion radius, the<br/><br>
	chain length, and the chain flexibility on the phase separation is also<br/><br>
	investigated. A semiflexible chain displayed a smaller tendency to<br/><br>
	promote phase instability as compared to flexible and stiff chains, the<br/><br>
	origin most likely arising from the similar chain persistence length<br/><br>
	and macroion<br/><br>
	radius.}},
  author       = {{Skepö, Marie and Linse, Per}},
  issn         = {{0024-9297}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{508--519}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{Macromolecules}},
  title        = {{Complexation, phase separation, and redissolution in polyelectrolyte-macroion solutions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ma020634l}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/ma020634l}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}