Introduction to Polyelectrolyte Brushes

What is/are Polyelectrolyte Brushes?

Polyelectrolyte Brushes - By combining small-angle X-ray scattering, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and rheology, the effect of additional polyelectrolyte chains on interactions among spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPB) was systematically investigated both on microscopic and macroscopic levels. ^[1] More specifically, both the efficiency and the maximum rate of power generation may be increased by densely distributing the polyelectrolyte brushes. ^[2] Understanding the structural response of weak polyelectrolyte brushes upon external stimuli is crucial for their applications ranging from modifying surface properties to the development of smart and intelligent materials. ^[3] Polyelectrolyte brushes have received extensive attention due to their swelling behavior in aqueous solutions, which is a result of their ionic nature and nonelectrostatic (polymer–polymer and poly. ^[4] The effect of binding strength of counterions with the polyelectrolyte chain to the swelling of polyelectrolyte brushes is studied, by investigating the swelling of both the polycation and polyanion in response to the variation of the salt concentration under the change of counterion's identity. ^[5] The effect of counterions on interactions among spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) was systematically investigated by rheology, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). ^[6] Nano-spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) have been demonstrated to be versatile objects for many high-tech applications due to their unique microenvironment and impressive stability in aqueous media, showing great prospects in industry. ^[7] Weak polyampholytes and globular proteins among them can be efficiently absorbed from solutions by polyelectrolyte brushes or microgels even if the net charge of the polyampholyte is of the same sign as that of the brush/microgel. ^[8] Herein, cationic polyelectrolyte brushes grafted from bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers are introduced into polydopamine/polyacrylamide hydrogels. ^[9] We used atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study polyelectrolyte brushes based on anionic α,L-glutamic acid and α,L-aspartic acid grafted on cellulose in the presence of divalent CaCl2 salt at different concentrations. ^[10] ABSTRACT Langevin dynamics (LD) simulations were conducted to study the collapse of polyelectrolyte brushes made of 4-arm stars induced by trivalent salt counterions. ^[11] In this paper, we have employed a molecular theory to study the pH response of strong polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs), by considering both strong polyelectrolyte-OH− (P–O) hydrogen bonds and polyelectrolyte-counterions (P–C) bonds and their explicit coupling to the SPB conformation. ^[12] The capability of polyelectrolyte brushes to spontaneously clean oil fouling via water is determined by factors including water wettability and the self-assembled structures of hydrated polyelectrolytes. ^[13] Polyelectrolyte brushes are important stimuli-responsive materials in a variety of technological applications as well as in biological systems. ^[14] In particular, we review our recent studies on the interaction of simple proteins such as human serum albumin (HSA) and lysozyme with linear polyelectrolytes, charged dendrimers, charged networks, and polyelectrolyte brushes. ^[15] Multi-stimulus responsive weak polyelectrolyte brushes were grafted by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization from spherical silica nanoparticles across a wide range of grafting densities approaching the limit of close packing of grafting sites: a regime not previously explored in the brush swelling literature. ^[16] Adhesion assays to SAMs reveal the complex balance of interactions (electrostatic, van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding) regulating the adhesion of weak polyelectrolyte brushes. ^[17] Nanoparticulate polyelectrolyte brushes have been developed for stability and mobility at high temperature in brine for enhanced oil recovery applications. ^[18] Also, our results can serve as a guide for improving the performance of ring polyelectrolyte brushes as unique surface modifiers. ^[19] Nanoceria can be modified by surface coating with polyelectrolyte brushes. ^[20] The stability of surface-tethered polyelectrolyte brushes has been investigated during the past few years. ^[21] Adopting a cylindrical nanopore functionalized with homogeneous (single) pH-tunable polyelectrolyte brushes, these mechanisms are discussed in this study. ^[22] As a function of solution ionic strength, the osmotic and salted brush regimes of weak polyelectrolyte brushes as well as substantial specific anion effects in the presence of K+ salts of Cl–, NO3–, and SCN– are found. ^[23] In this work, we investigate polyelectrolyte brushes prepared by both grafting-to and grafting-from with the aim to achieve high catalytic activity. ^[24] A thermodynamic study of the adsorption of Human Serum Albumin (HSA) onto spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is presented. ^[25] Spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) could capture some charged nanoparticles, due to the Donnan effect, that have been verified as promising carriers for nanoparticles. ^[26] Polyelectrolyte brushes consist of charged polymer chains attached with one end to a surface at high densities. ^[27] In this work, poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) brushes have been employed as a precursor to prepare thermosensitive strong polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) through a counterion exchange strategy. ^[28] High-performance soft interfaces were designed by tethering various polyelectrolyte brushes with anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic functional groups on substrate surfaces using a surface-initiated controlled radical polymerization technique. ^[29] Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes (SPBs) are nanoparticles formed by densely-grafted polyelectrolyte chains on the surface of colloidal particles. ^[30]

Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes

By combining small-angle X-ray scattering, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and rheology, the effect of additional polyelectrolyte chains on interactions among spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPB) was systematically investigated both on microscopic and macroscopic levels. ^[1] The effect of counterions on interactions among spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) was systematically investigated by rheology, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). ^[2] Nano-spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) have been demonstrated to be versatile objects for many high-tech applications due to their unique microenvironment and impressive stability in aqueous media, showing great prospects in industry. ^[3] A thermodynamic study of the adsorption of Human Serum Albumin (HSA) onto spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is presented. ^[4] Spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) could capture some charged nanoparticles, due to the Donnan effect, that have been verified as promising carriers for nanoparticles. ^[5] Spherical Polyelectrolyte Brushes (SPBs) are nanoparticles formed by densely-grafted polyelectrolyte chains on the surface of colloidal particles. ^[6]

Weak Polyelectrolyte Brushes

Understanding the structural response of weak polyelectrolyte brushes upon external stimuli is crucial for their applications ranging from modifying surface properties to the development of smart and intelligent materials. ^[1] Multi-stimulus responsive weak polyelectrolyte brushes were grafted by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization from spherical silica nanoparticles across a wide range of grafting densities approaching the limit of close packing of grafting sites: a regime not previously explored in the brush swelling literature. ^[2] Adhesion assays to SAMs reveal the complex balance of interactions (electrostatic, van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding) regulating the adhesion of weak polyelectrolyte brushes. ^[3] As a function of solution ionic strength, the osmotic and salted brush regimes of weak polyelectrolyte brushes as well as substantial specific anion effects in the presence of K+ salts of Cl–, NO3–, and SCN– are found. ^[4]

Strong Polyelectrolyte Brushes

In this paper, we have employed a molecular theory to study the pH response of strong polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs), by considering both strong polyelectrolyte-OH− (P–O) hydrogen bonds and polyelectrolyte-counterions (P–C) bonds and their explicit coupling to the SPB conformation. ^[1] In this work, poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) brushes have been employed as a precursor to prepare thermosensitive strong polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) through a counterion exchange strategy. ^[2]