Distribution of polyelectrolytes and counterions upon polyelectrolyte complexation

Understanding polyelectrolyte complexation remains limited due to the absence of a systematic methodology for analyzing the distribution of components between the polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) and the dilute phases.

We developed a methodology based on NMR to quantify all components of solid-like PECs and their supernatant phases formed by mixing different ratios of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acid)-sodium salt (PAA). This approach allowed for determining relative and absolute concentrations of polyelectrolytes in both phases by ¹H NMR studies. Using ²³Na and ³⁵Cl NMR spectroscopy we measured the concentration of counterions in both phases.

Regardless of the mixing ratio of the polyelectrolytes the PEC is charge-stoichiometric, and any excess polyelectrolytes to achieve charge stoichiometry remains in the supernatant phase. The majority of counterions were found in the supernatant phase, confirming counterion release being a major thermodynamic driving force for PEC formation. The counterion concentrations in the PEC phase were approximately twice as high as in the supernatant phase. The complete mass balance of PEC formation could be determined and translated into a molecular picture. It appears that PAH is fully charged, while PAA is more protonated, so less charged, and some 10% extrinsic PAH-Cl^- pairs are present in the complex.