Microgels polyelectrolyte complex

In a related application, polyelectrolyte microgels based on crosslinked cationic poly(allyl amine) and anionic polyfmethacrylic acid-co-epoxypropyl methacrylate) were studied by potentiometry, conductometry and turbidimetry [349]. In their neutralized (salt) form, the microgels fully complexed with linear polyelectrolytes (poly(acrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide), and polystyrene sulfonate)) as if the gels were themselves linear. However, if an acid/base reaction occurs between the linear polymers and the gels, it appears that only the surfaces of the gels form complexes. Previous work has addressed the fundamental characteristics of these complexes [350, 351] and has shown preferential complexation of cationic polyelectrolytes with crosslinked car-boxymethyl cellulose versus linear CMC [350], The departure from the 1 1 stoichiometry with the non-neutralized microgels may be due to the collapsed nature of these networks which prevents penetration of water soluble polyelectrolyte. 

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