Debye Length for Polyelectrolyte Solutions

Using the conversion factor discussed in Section 3.1.3.1, the Debye length can be expressed in terms of the molarities of simple salt ions and counterions as 

The polyelectrolyte chains exist in the effective medium created by the counterions and ions from the simple salt. The charges on the polymer chains interact among themselves mediated by the neutralizing plasma that makes up the system except the polymer molecules. We further assume that the mediation by the background is adequately described by the Debye-Hiickel theory. This assumption allows us to deduce the key features, without resorting to heavy numerical work that will be needed to solve the very complex Poisson-Boltzmann equations for such topologically correlated objects as flexible polymers. 

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