Do Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes Interdigitate?
A. V. Korobko (1), W. Jesse (1), S. U. Egelhaaf (2), A. Lapp (3), J., R. C. van der Maarel (1, 4) ((1) Institute of Chemistry, Leiden, University, (2) School of Physics, School of Chemistry, The University of, Edinburgh, (3) Laboratoire Leon Brillouin, CEA/CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette
TL;DR
This study uses small angle neutron scattering to investigate the structure and interdigitation of spherical micelles formed by diblock copolymers in water, revealing corona behavior and interpenetration at high charge and packing.
Contribution
It provides new insights into the inter-micelle correlations and corona interpenetration behavior of spherical polyelectrolyte brushes under various conditions.
Findings
Corona shrinks with increasing packing fraction regardless of ionic strength.
Corona layers interpenetrate at high charge and minimal screening when volume fraction exceeds 0.53.
Inter-micelle correlation depends on packing and charge conditions.
Abstract
The structure of spherical micelles of the diblock copolymer poly(styrene-block-acrylic acid) in water was investigated with small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and contrast matching. We have monitored inter-micelle correlation and the extension of the polyelectrolyte chains in the coronal layer through the overlap concentration. Irrespective of ionic strength, the corona shrinks with increasing packing fraction. Furthermore, at high charge and minimal screening conditions, the corona layers interpenetrate once the volume fraction exceeds the critical value 0.53.
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