title: Effect of molecular weight and ionic strength on the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes based on poly(methacrylic acid) and chitosan.
abstract: Chitosan/poly(methacrylic acid) complexes, CS/PMAA, were prepared via dropwise addition of a solution of PMAA to a solution of chitosan in acetic acid 2 wt %. The increase in molecular weight of PMAA inhibited the formation of insoluble complexes, while the increase in ionic strength first favored the formation of the complex followed by inhibiting it at higher concentrations. These observations were related to a description of polyelectrolyte complexation that was strongly dependent on macromolecular dimensions, both in terms of molecular weight and of coil expansion/contraction driven by polyelectrolyte effect.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitario, Lagoa Nova, RN 59078-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bezerril
authors.forename: D E S
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: T N C
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: J L C
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004573:Electrolytes; D015394:Molecular Structure; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D012996:Solutions; D048271:Chitosan