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Updated: Jun 4, 2025

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
Published on: March 2, 2020
Polyelectrolyte-Carbon Dot Complex Coacervation
Pankaj Kumar Pandey1, Arvind Sathyavageeswaran1, Nickolas Holmlund1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States.
Abstract:
This Letter presents complex coacervation between the biopolymer diethylaminoethyl dextran hydrochloride (DEAE-Dex) and carbon dots. The formation of these coacervates was dependent on both DEAE-Dex concentration and solution ionic strength. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that the blue fluorescence of the carbon dots was unaffected by coacervation. Additionally, microrheological studies were conducted to determine the viscosity of these coacervates. These complex coacervates, formed through the interaction of nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes, hold a promising role for future applications where the combination of optical properties from the carbon dots and encapsulation via coacervation can be leveraged.
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