Determining the Kinetics of Structural Changes During the Formation of Interpolyelectrolytes Complexes (IPECs) by Stopped-Flow SAXS Experime

The structural progression during the formation process of interpolyelectrolyte complexes (IPECs) is still poorly understood, despite the importance it bears for their properties. By stopped-flow SAXS experiments we will study formation and ageing processes taking place upon mixing the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and sodium polyacrylate (NaPA). In our experiments we will vary systematically the mixing ratio, the charge density of NaPA (by pH) and polyelectrolytes length/Mw, in order to see how these parameters control the structural evolution of the formed IPECs. In addition, we will study the effect of hydrophobic modification of NaPA by having increasingly higher contents of hydrophobic alkyl chains (dodecyl) in the PA. By doing so, we will gain a comprehensive understanding of the structure formation in such interpolyelectrolyte complexes (IPECs) and how the formed structures depend on the kinetics of formation.