(Polymer/polymer)-like phase behavior in the system tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide/sodium polyacrylate/water

Association of cationic surfactants with maleic acid copolymers: Dependence of binding on the nature of the neutral comonomer unit

“…Obviously, the range of hydrophobicities/hydrophilicities of these three copolymers is rather large. It is to be expected, therefore, that the aggregates between alkylpyridinium surfactants and the discussed polymers would have different structures on the molecular level [5,6]. Finally, the results of this investigation could be the basis for achieving different interaction mechanisms also in more complex systems, for example, in binding/release phenomena taking place in mixed solutions of different synthetic polymers and biopolymers, where surfactant is the added third component.…”

“…A more recent one is the surfactant-centered approach, according to which the complexation is treated essentially as surfactant micellization in the field of the polymer [3]. It is employed mainly in studies of phase behavior [4] and structures [5,6] where the emphasis is put on investigations of the spatial arrangement of surfactant molecules in conjunction with the polymer, the function of the latter being merely to stabilize micelles or other surfactant aggregates. The second approach emphasizes exactly the role of the polymer chain in the binding process, in particular its charge density, chain flexibility, and the hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of functional groups.…”

The association of DNA and stable catanionic amino acid-based vesicles

“…As the concentration of DNA increases in the vesicle solution, the amount of precipitate increases till we reach charge neutrality (R = 1), where we observed a minimum in turbidity of the supernatant; from this point on, as more polyelectrolyte is added into solution, redissolution of the precipitate starts, as noted also by an increase in the turbidity of the supernatant. These features are commonly associated with polyelectrolyte-oppositely charged surfactant systems [50][51][52], as well as oppositely charged mixed polyelectrolyte-systems [53]. In addition, Skepö et al demonstrated, by means of Monte Carlo simulations, that at macromolecular charge equivalence, the system becomes unstable and phase separates; moreover, in excess of polyelectrolyte, a redissolution occurs, resulting in a single and stable macroion-polyelectrolyte solution [54].…”

“…In addition, Skepö et al demonstrated, by means of Monte Carlo simulations, that at macromolecular charge equivalence, the system becomes unstable and phase separates; moreover, in excess of polyelectrolyte, a redissolution occurs, resulting in a single and stable macroion-polyelectrolyte solution [54]. In a study of the system tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide/sodium polyacrylate/water, on the addition of excess of polyelectrolyte, Carnali observed complete redissolution of the precipitate; by adding even more polyelectrolyte, another phase separation occurred, this time of the segregative type [52]. This behavior is not observed in the case of DNA in the presence of oppositely charged catanionic vesicles as demonstrated by Dias et al; as in the present study, complete redissolution of the precipitate on the addition of excess of DNA to the vesicle system was not observed [8].…”

DNA gel particles: An overview

“…When the surfactant/polyelectrolyte attraction overcomes their solubility in the solvent, associative phase separation occurs [29][30][31][32][33][34]. This results in the formation of concentrated liquid, gel, or precipitate phases in equilibrium with a dilute liquid [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37].…”