Complex Coacervation: Chemically Stable Fibers Electrospun from Aqueous Polyelectrolyte Solutions

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are formed by electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged polymers.
• Traditional methods for creating PEC fibers often require organic solvents or chemical cross-linking, limiting their environmental compatibility and applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the electrospinning of aqueous complex coacervates into chemically robust polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) fiber mats.
• To investigate the influence of salt concentration and electrospinning parameters on fiber formation and mat properties.

Main Methods:

• Aqueous solutions of poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid, sodium salt) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) were used.
• Potassium bromide was employed as a plasticizing salt to enable electrospinning.
• Systematic investigation of salt concentration and electrospinning apparatus parameters was performed.

Main Results:

• Chemically robust PEC fiber mats were successfully fabricated via electrospinning of aqueous complex coacervates.
• The resulting fiber mats exhibited stability across a wide range of pH, ionic strength, and organic solvents.
• The process circumvents the need for organic solvents, entangled polyelectrolytes in solution, and post-spinning chemical cross-linking.

Conclusions:

• Electrospinning of aqueous complex coacervates offers a green and efficient route to produce robust PEC fiber mats.
• These PEC fiber mats have significant potential in environmentally sensitive applications like tissue engineering and water purification.