Turbidity diagrams of polyanion/polycation complexes in solution as a potential tool to predict the occurrence of polyelectrolyte multilayer deposition.
Surface functionalization with polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEM films) has become very popular owing to its simplicity and versatility. However, even if some research is already available, this field of surface chemistry lacks a systematic knowledge of how the polyelectrolyte structure and solution conditions influence the growth of PEM films. In this investigation, we focus on the possible relationship between turbidity of polycation and polyanion mixtures in solution, and the buildup of PEM films made from the same polyelectrolytes in the same physicochemical conditions, namely pH, temperature and ionic strength. It comes out that for six different polycation/polyanion combinations there is a clear correlation between the turbidity evolution of polycation/polyanion complexes with the salt concentration and the evolution of the film deposition with the same parameter. In this investigation, the complexes in solution were prepared in conditions where the ratio between the number of cationic to anionic groups was close to unity. Even if there is a correlation between turbidity in solution and PEM film deposition, we found some exceptions in the low salt concentration regime. This work is an extension of the preliminary works of Cohen Stuart (D. Kovačević et al. Langmuir 18 (2002) 5607-5612) and Sukishvili et al. (S.A. Sukhishvili, E. Kharlampieva and V. Izumrudov, Macromolecules 39 (2006) 8873-8881).
Mjahed
Hajare
H
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité Mixte de Recherche 977, 11 rue Humann, 67085 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
Voegel
Jean-Claude
JC
Chassepot
Armelle
A
Senger
Bernard
B
Schaaf
Pierre
P
Boulmedais
Fouzia
F
Ball
Vincent
V
D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry; D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D013499:Surface Properties
D000838:Anions; D002412:Cations; D004573:Electrolytes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions