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Related Concept Videos

Formation of Complex Ions03:45

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A type of Lewis acid-base chemistry involves the formation of a complex ion (or a coordination complex) comprising a central atom, typically a transition metal cation, surrounded by ions or molecules called ligands. These ligands can be neutral molecules like H2O or NH3, or ions such as CN− or OH−. Often, the ligands act as Lewis bases, donating a pair of electrons to the central atom. These types of Lewis acid-base reactions are examples of a broad subdiscipline called coordination...
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Ion exchange chromatography separates charged molecules from a solution by reversibly exchanging them with mobile, or 'active', ions associated with the oppositely charged stationary phase. This method can be used to separate ions, soften and deionize water, and purify solutions. The polymers comprising the ion-exchange column are high-molecular-weight and chemically stable polymers, crosslinked to be porous and essentially insoluble. They are also functionalized with either acidic or...
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Intermolecular Forces

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Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen...
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Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect01:19

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In complexation reactions, metal atoms or cations interact with ligands to form donor-acceptor adducts called metal complexes. Ligands that bind through one donor site are monodentate, ligands with two donor sites are bidentate, and those with more than two donor sites are polydentate ligands. For example, ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms, forming a five-membered ring. EDTA is a polydentate ligand that binds through four oxygen and two nitrogen...
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Aqueous Solutions and Heats of Hydration02:42

Aqueous Solutions and Heats of Hydration

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Water and other polar molecules are attracted to ions. The electrostatic attraction between an ion and a molecule with a dipole is called an ion-dipole attraction. These attractions play an important role in the dissolution of ionic compounds in water.
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Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer02:48

Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer

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Ions are atoms or molecules bearing an electrical charge. A cation (a positive ion) forms when a neutral atom loses one or more electrons from its valence shell, and an anion (a negative ion) forms when a neutral atom gains one or more electrons in its valence shell. Compounds composed of ions are called ionic compounds (or salts), and their constituent ions are held together by ionic bonds: electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged cations and anions. 
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Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Solid-state Graft Copolymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery Applications
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Solid-state Graft Copolymer Electrolytes for Lithium Battery Applications

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Self-Immolative Polyion Complexes.

Xueli Mei1, Elizabeth R Gillies1,2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|July 25, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New polyion complex (PIC) micelles formed from self-immolative polymers (SIPs) offer controlled release. These PICs degrade in response to pH or UV light, showing low cytotoxicity for potential therapeutic applications.

Keywords:
degradabledepolymerizationpolyion complexself‐immolativestimuli‐responsive

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Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
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Area of Science:

  • Polymer chemistry
  • Materials science
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Polyion complexes (PICs) are formed by self-assembling oppositely charged polyelectrolytes.
  • PICs are attractive for biopolymer encapsulation in aqueous conditions for therapeutics.
  • Stimuli-responsive PICs can release encapsulated cargo under specific biological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop novel PIC micelles using two self-immolative polymers (SIPs) with complementary charges.
  • To investigate the stimulus-responsive degradation of these PIC micelles.
  • To assess the in vitro cytotoxicity of the developed PIC micelles.

Main Methods:

  • Formation of PIC micelles from a polycationic SIP (light-responsive) and a polyanionic SIP (pH-responsive).
  • Evaluation of PIC micelle dispersion and degradation at pH 7.4 and pH 6.
  • Assessment of cargo release triggered by UV light irradiation.
  • In vitro cytotoxicity assays using C2C12 cells.

Main Results:

  • SIP PICs (0.6 anion:cation ratio) were well-dispersed at pH 7.4 and degraded at pH 6, mainly due to anionic block depolymerization.
  • UV light irradiation primarily triggered depolymerization of the cationic block.
  • In vitro cytotoxicity assays showed low toxicity of PICs to C2C12 cells up to 0.5 mg mL-1.

Conclusions:

  • Developed a new platform of PIC micelles from self-immolative polymers.
  • Demonstrated stimulus-responsive degradation (pH and light) for controlled cargo release.
  • PICs exhibit good biocompatibility, suggesting potential for therapeutic applications.