Issue 12, 2024

Dilute polyelectrolyte solutions: recent progress and open questions

Abstract

Polyelectrolytes are a class of polymers possessing ionic groups on their repeating units. Since counterions can dissociate from the polymer backbone, polyelectrolyte chains are strongly influenced by electrostatic interactions. As a result, the physical properties of polyelectrolyte solutions are significantly different from those of electrically neutral polymers. The aim of this article is to highlight key results and some outstanding questions in the polyelectrolyte research from recent literature. We focus on the influence of electrostatics on conformational and hydrodynamic properties of polyelectrolyte chains. A compilation of experimental results from the literature reveals significant disparities with theoretical predictions. We also discuss a new class of polyelectrolytes called poly(ionic liquid)s that exhibit unique physical properties in comparison to ordinary polyelectrolytes. We conclude this review by listing some key research challenges in order to fully understand the conformation and dynamics of polyelectrolytes in solutions.

Graphical abstract: Dilute polyelectrolyte solutions: recent progress and open questions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
09 huhti 2023
Accepted
22 marras 2023
First published
13 joulu 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Soft Matter, 2024,20, 2635-2687

Dilute polyelectrolyte solutions: recent progress and open questions

C. G. Lopez, A. Matsumoto and A. Q. Shen, Soft Matter, 2024, 20, 2635 DOI: 10.1039/D3SM00468F

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