Thermochemistry of Synthetic and Natural Polyelectrolytes in Solution

Laboratory of Macromolecular Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Trieste, 

Abstract. The importance of experiments which may enable to describe accurately how free energy changes accompanying a variety of typical equilibrium processes in polyelectrolyte solutions are built up by enthalphy and entropy contributions is emphasized. 

In particular, the usefulness of accurate microcalorimetric data is pointed out. 

In this context, a number of results of studies recently carried out in the Laboratory of Macro-molecular Chemistry of the Instituto di Chimica of the University of Trieste are illustrated. 

These studies have dealt with the physico-chemical characterization of aqueous solutions of both synthetic and natural polyelectrolytes. 

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