Polyelectrolytes used for electrostatic self-assembly

A large number of synthetic polyelectrolytes have been used to create a variety of nanostructured thin film coatings. Some of these polyelectrolytes include poly(ethyleneimine), poly(allylamine). 

One of the most studied and well-understood systems consists of poly(allylamine) (PAA) andpoly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS). A number of more complex, functionalized polyelectrolytes have also been used, based on their ability to form structured coatings, and whether or not they can enable secondary chemical modifications. One of the greatest advantages of the layer-by-layer deposition technique is that almost any polyelectrolyte can be used as long as the appropriate oppositely charged partner polyelectrolyte is chosen.  

Charged nano-objects, usually referred to as rigid polyelectrolytes, such as stable colloidal dispersions of charged silica, metal oxides, microcrystallites, and metal colloids have been deposited using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. Most of the deposition work involves the use of fully 

Natural polyelectrolytes such as nucleic acids, proteins and polysaccharides have also been used for LbL Studies involving natural 

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