Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are polymer rich phases which spontaneously form upon mixing oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in solution. The vast library of charged polymers that can associate into PECs provide a wide variety of potential chemical and physical properties. Unfortunately, it is currently very difficult to predict PEC properties based on the constituent polymers and there is no comprehensive understanding of how to tune the material properties of a given polyelectrolyte pair. In our work, we attempt to uncover chemically agnostic design principles in PECs by understanding the impact of polyelectrolyte architecture on PEC properties. To do this, we use atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) to create a series of linear and star-shaped poly(glycidyl methacrylate) of comparable molecular weights and harness thiol-epoxy click chemistry to create oppositely charged, structurally analogous polyelectrolyte pairs to create ideal PECs. We then examine how architecture affects the salt stability, internal structure and mechanical properties of our PECs using optical microscopy, small-angle scattering and rheology. Through our work, we have identified structure-property relationships based on polyelectrolyte architecture, which will enable rational design of the next generation of polyelectrolyte-based materials.

Effect of polyelectrolyte architecture on polyelectrolyte complexation

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ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.