Influence of counterion solvation in poly(ionic-liquid) solutions and gels

Polyelectrolytes (PE) gels are cross-linked polymeric systems which contain ionizable groups. When swollen by a solvent, counterions dissociate and are released into the solvent media. The physical properties of these systems are of great interest because of their technological applications (ranging from membranes for CO2 separation to contact lenses) and because biological tissue such as cartilage is often comprised of PE gels. Until recently, it was assumed that the influence of counterion-solvent interactions on the properties of PE gels could be safely neglected. However, theoretical and simulation studies over the last five years have shown this to be an unjustified assumption, which is confirmed by preliminary results presented here. The aim of this proposal is to systematically study the influence of counterion solvation on the thermodynamic and structural properties of PE gels.