Local electroneutrality approximation LEA

Therefore, a detailed analysis of the conformations of many-armed star-like PEs may take place within the so-called local electroneutrality approximation (LEA). The latter also allows for an equilibrium of the ionization of the macroion, hence also covering the pH-responsive (annealing) star-like PEs. 

The local electroneutrality approximation (LEA) assumes that the local number density of charged monomer units in the PE corona is approximately equal to local (excess) number density of mobile counterions ... 

The mean-field approach provides a convenient framework for the analysis of copolymer self-assembly leading to micellar structures. Combining the mean-field approach with the local electroneutrality approximation (LEA) enables us to generalize the theory for micelles with ionic coronal blocks that feature stimuli-responsive properties. 

Structural rearrangements in a micelle with quenched PE corona can be investigated using the mean-field approach (described in Sect. 5) in combination with the local electroneutrality approximation (LEA). As before, we neglect here the radial gradients in the polymer density and mobile ion distributions (i.e., implement the boxlike model). Moreover, we omit the contribution due to nonelectrostatic... 

The mean-field approach combined with the local electroneutrality approximation (LEA) can be extended beyond the boxlike model. To calculate the free energy of a micellar corona with the radial gradients in polymer density, we assume that all the free ends of blocks A are located at the corona periphery and are equally stretched. Within this model, the free energy of a micelle of morphology i (t = 1,2,3), can be explicitly calculated for both quenched and annealing PE coronae. We outline here only a general scheme of the approach, whereas the details can be found in [22, 32]. 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ , , , ]

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