Light scattering results on polyelectrolyte conformation, diffusion and interparticle interactions and correlations
- Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States)
Static and Dynamic light scattering results on a variety of biological and synthetic polyelectrolytes are presented. The variation of radii of gyration R{sub g} and virial coefficients as a function of ionic strength C{sub s} and linear charge density {xi} are analyzed with combined persistence length and electrostatic excluded volume theories. Diffusion coefficients in the limit of infinite dilution Do for several polyelectrolytes of given mass are independent of the variations of Rg with Cs and {xi}, whereas for other polyelectrolytes Do is partially or fully dependent on Rg. The highest level of intermolecular correlation found is of a liquid-like order, occurring at extremely low Cs, which produces broad peaks of both scattered intensity and reciprocal diffusion coefficient vs. scattering angle. No relation was found between such liquid-like order and the often reported {open_quotes}slow diffusion mode{close_quotes} at low Cs. In fact, whenever this latter slow mode was present for any given polyelectrolyte, it could be permanently {open_quotes}removed{close_quotes} by a sufficiently small pore size filter.
- OSTI ID:
- 141738
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930304--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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