Linear poly(ethyleneimine) (LPEI) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were mixed to create polyelectrolyte complexes. The phase behavior of these complexes was studied over the pH range from pH 4.0 to pH 6.0 to determine the mixing ratio at which complexes were no longer soluble and formed solid precipitates. It was found that in this pH range precipitation occurred only when a molar excess of PAA was present. Multilayers of PAA and soluble, charged complexes were formed by mixing LPEI in molar excess with PAA were also prepared to study complex behavior. The multilayer was produced by alternately dipping an indium-tin oxide (ITO) coated glass slide in solutions of the complexes and PAA. A voltage was applied to the substrate to aid in the deposition of the oppositely charged LPEI rich complexes or PAA and to study how the complexes behaved under an applied potential.

Phase behavior and electrophoretic deposition of LPEI-PAA complexes

245th National Meeting (2013)

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