Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Interpolyelectrolyte complexes: a single-molecule insight.

Anton Kiriy1, Jinshu Yu, Manfred Stamm

  • 1Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Hohe 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany. kiriy@ipfdd.de

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|February 8, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Polyelectrolyte complexes form varied structures based on component ratios. Excess short polyanions yield micelle-like particles, while excess long polycations stabilize PECs by wrapping.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Targeted Biomimetic Stem Cell Membrane-Exosome Composite Delivery System for the Treatment of Bone Defects.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
Same author

Morphology, Crystallinity, and Electrical Performance of Solution-Processed OFETs Based on a DPP-Based Small Molecule.

ACS applied electronic materials·2025
Same author

Mechanically stable polymer networks incorporating polymeric ionic liquids for enhanced conductivity in solid-state electrolytes.

Designed monomers and polymers·2025
Same author

An Andrias davidianus derived composite hydrogel with enhanced antibacterial and bone repair properties for osteomyelitis treatment.

Scientific reports·2024
Same author

Optimizing the Ion Conductivity and Mechanical Stability of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Designed for Use in Lithium Ion Batteries: Combining Imidazolium-Containing Poly(ionic liquids) and Poly(propylene carbonate).

International journal of molecular sciences·2024
Same author

Charge-Compensated N-Doped π-Conjugated Polymers: Toward both Thermodynamic Stability of N-Doped States in Water and High Electron Conductivity.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2022

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Supramolecular Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are formed by electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes.
  • Understanding PEC formation and morphology is crucial for developing advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the morphology of polyelectrolyte complexes formed between poly(methacryloyloxyethyl dimethylbenzylammonium chloride) and polystyrene sulfonic acid.
  • To elucidate the influence of component stoichiometry on PEC structure and stability.

Main Methods:

  • Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was employed to visualize the nanoscale structure of PECs adsorbed onto mica.
  • Controlled mixing of long polycations and short polyanions at varying ratios was performed.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Non-equilibrium structures with coexisting collapsed PEC particles and unreacted polyelectrolytes formed when one component was in excess.
  • Equilibrium PECs exhibited micelle-like core-shell morphology when the short polyanion was in excess.
  • Excess long polycation led to PEC stabilization via wrapping around hydrophobic segments.
  • Near-stoichiometric mixing resulted in highly aggregated, water-insoluble PECs.

Conclusions:

  • The morphology of PECs is highly dependent on the relative amounts of the constituent polyelectrolytes.
  • Transformations from non-equilibrium to equilibrium structures involve slow addition or substitution reactions with unreacted polyelectrolyte chains.
  • Stoichiometry control is key to tailoring PEC properties for specific applications.