Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complexation is driven by associative interactions between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, resulting in formation of a macroscopic polymer dense phase and a polymer dilute phase with applications in coatings, adhesives, and purification membranes. Beyond macroscale phase separation, precision polymer synthesis has enabled further development of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC)-based self-assembled micelles and hydrogels with applications in biotechnology. Interestingly, it has been suggested that mechanisms similar to polyelectrolyte complexation drive formation of biological condensates that play an indispensable role in cellular biogenesis. The formation pathways and functionality of these complex materials is dependent on the physical properties that are built into polymer structure and the resulting physical conformation in the dilute and dense phase. Scattering techniques have enabled in situ investigation of structure-function relationships in PEC materials that may address unresolved biophysical questions in cellular processes as well as catalyze the development of novel materials for diverse applications. We describe preparation of PEC materials with controlled polymer characteristics (length, blockiness, charge density), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques employed to probe appropriate length scales, and the data analysis routines from a practical standpoint for new users. This article deals with bulk complexes and not with the related, important and interesting area of non-equilibrium layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Liquid-Liquid Phase Coexistence and Membraneless Organelles |
Editors | Christine D. Keating |
Publisher | Academic Press Inc. |
Pages | 223-259 |
Number of pages | 37 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780128211595 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Publication series
Name | Methods in Enzymology |
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Volume | 646 |
ISSN (Print) | 0076-6879 |
ISSN (Electronic) | 1557-7988 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 Elsevier Inc.
Keywords
- Coacervate
- Liquid-liquid phase separation
- Polyelectrolyte complexation
- SAXS
- Self-assembly