Polyelectrolytes adsorbed at water-water interfaces.
Polyelectrolytes can show strong adsorption at water-water interfaces formed by phase separation of two polymers in aqueous solution. We demonstrate this for a model system consisting of neutral polymer A and weakly positively charged polymer B. When polyelectrolyte is added with similar chemical composition as polymer A, but charge of opposite sign as polymer B, interfacial accumulation is observed. We hypothesize this accumulation to be complexation at the water-water interface. This adsorption surprisingly persists even at high salt concentrations and has only a limited effect on the interfacial tension. Complexation of polyelectrolytes at water-water interfaces may provide a new path towards the stabilization of water-in-water emulsions.
NIZO food research, Kernhemseweg 2, 6718 ZB Ede, The Netherlands and Van 't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
R Hans
RH
Tromp
Van 't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands and Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands. m.vis@tue.nl.
Remco
R
Tuinier
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands. m.vis@tue.nl.
Mark
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2992-1175
M
Vis