Multivalent counterions diminish the lubricity of polyelectrolyte brushes

• Main Authors: Yu, Jing, Jackson, N. E., Xu, X., Morgenstern, Y., Kaufman, Y., Ruths, M., de Pablo, J., Tirrell, M.
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science & Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials; Polymer Brushes; Lubrication
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/138078
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Polyelectrolyte brushes provide wear protection and lubrication in many technical, medical, physiological, and biological applications. Wear resistance and low friction are attributed to counterion osmotic pressure and the hydration layer surrounding the charged polymer segments. However, the presen...