Hostname: page-component-74656f9884-npj9w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-10T13:49:08.531Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Polyelectrolyte Brush: Poor Solvent

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

Richard S. Ross
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phil Pincus
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Get access

Abstract

We investigate the end grafted polyelectrolyte brush in the poor solvent regime of the corresponding neutral polymer system. Using Poisson-Boltzmann theory for the electrostatics and Flory-Huggins-mean-field theory for the excluded volume and Van-der-Waals-like monomer interactions, we find the existence of a first order phase transition to a collapsed state for moderate to highly charged polyelectrolytes in the poor solvent regime. Irreversibilities in the disjoining pressure between planar grafted surfaces are predicted. For polyelectrolytes grafted to spherical and cylindrical surfaces with small radii of curvature, the phase transition is predicted to become second order in the infinite molecular weight limit. A phase diagram for the entire poor solvent regime is given.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable