Hill, Christopher ORCID: 0000-0002-9257-5244 , Abdullahi, Wasiu, Dalgliesh, Robert ORCID: 0000-0002-6814-679X , Crossman, Martin and Griffiths, Peter Charles ORCID: 0000-0002-6686-1271 (2021) Charge modification as a mechanism for tunable properties in polymer–surfactant complexes. Polymers, 13 (16):2800. ISSN 2073-4360 (doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13162800)

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Abstract

Oppositely charged polymer–surfactant complexes are frequently explored as a function of phase space defined by the charge ratio Z, (where Z = [+polymer ]/[-surfactant]), commonly accessed through the surfactant concentration. Tuning the phase behaviour and related properties of these complexes is an important tool for optimising commercial formulations; hence, understanding the relationship between Z and bulk properties is pertinent. Here, within a homologous series of cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose (cat-HEC) polymers with minor perturbations in the degree of side chain charge modification, phase space is instead explored through [+polymer] at fixed Cpolymer. The nanostructures were characterised by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) in D2O solutions and in combination with the oppositely charged surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (h- or d-SDS). Scattering consistent with thin rods with an average radius of circa 7.7 Å and length of circa 85 Å was observed for all cat-HEC polymers and no significant interactions were shown between the neutral HEC polymer and SDS (CSDS < CMC). For the charge-modified polymers, interactions with SDS were evident and the radius of the formed complexes grew up to circa 15 Å with increasing Z. This study demonstrates a novel approach in which the Z phase space of oppositely charged polymer–surfactant complexes can be controlled at fixed concentrations.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	SANS; polymer-surfactant interactions; charge interactions; coacervation
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Materials & Analysis Research Group Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Science (SCI)
Last Modified:	10 Sep 2021 10:07
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/33647

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