Interpolymer Complexes Formed by Polyelectrolyte Gels

Abstract

The approaches to synthesis and modification of polymers based on the assembly of chemically complementary macromolecules have been recently widely developed. Interpoly electrolyte complexes (IPEC) are more common polymers of this type. They are the products of interaction between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes (Bixler and Michaels, 1969; Tsuchida and Abe, 1982). IPEC are of special interest as the effective adhesives for solving ecological, biomedical and agrotechnological problems due to their unique structure (Zezin and Baranovskii, 1983; Zezin et al., 1987). The utilization of cross-linked polyelectrolytes gives new opportunities for the construction of polycomplex substances and materials. These opportunities are based on the phenomenon of active transport of linear polyelectrolytes into oppositely charged networks (Rogacheva et al., 1988; Kabanov et al., 1988; Kabanov et al., 1989). The driving force of this transport and the mechanism of transport of linear polyions in polyelectrolyte gels are directly connected with the interpolyelectrolyte reaction (IPR) which proceeds between polyions and gel. Slightly cross-linked polyelectrolytes absorb oppositely charged linear polyions from aqueous solutions. This gradual uptake is followed by production of small counter ions of linear and cross-linked polyelectrolytes. For example, the reaction between slightly cross-linked poly(2-di methylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMA) and linear poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is presented in Scheme (I).