Amphoteric character of polyelectrolyte complex particles as revealed by isotachophoresis and viscometry

Abstract

Isotachophoresis and viscometric measurements were performed on aqueous dispersions of non-stoichiometric polyelectrolyte complexes in order to elucidate the surface charge situation of the complex particles in dependence on component charge density, ratio of cationic to anionic groups in the complex, and pH and ionic strengths of the ambient medium. Components for complex formation were acryl-based anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes of the pendent type. From our results, an amphoteric character of the polyelectrolyte complex particles can be concluded, with an isoelectric point characterized by zero mobility and a minimum in reduced viscosityη _spec/c of the particle dispersion, and with the sign of net surface charge depending on ambient pH and component charge density. The influence of ionic strength on theη _spec/c vs pH plots can be interpreted by assuming a competition between salting-out and electrostatic shielding effects. No correlation could be established between the overall molar ratio of cationic to anionic groups and the isoelectric point of the complex particles, which obviously indicates a different composition of “surface” and “bulk” of the polyelectrolyte complex particles.