title: Saloplastics: processing compact polyelectrolyte complexes.
abstract: Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are prepared by mixing solutions of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. These diffuse, amorphous precipitates may be compacted into dense materials, CoPECs, by ultracentrifugation (ucPECs) or extrusion (exPECs). The presence of salt water is essential in plasticizing PECs to allow them to be reformed and fused. When hydrated, CoPECs are versatile, rugged, biocompatible, elastic materials with applications including bioinspired materials, supports for enzymes and (nano)composites. In this review, various methods for making CoPECs are described, as well as fundamental responses of CoPEC mechanical properties to salt concentration. Possible applications as synthetic cartilage, enzymatically active biocomposites, self-healing materials, and magnetic nanocomposites are presented.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMR-S 1121, Biomatériaux et Bioingénierie, 11, rue Humann, 67085, Strasbourg Cedex, France; Institut Charles Sadron (UPR22-CNRS), 23, rue du Loess, 67034, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: Joseph B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Schlenoff
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004573:Electrolytes; D010969:Plastics; D012492:Salts
keywords: biocompatible; biomaterials; doping; multilayers; salts