Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes
Subtle details about a polyelectrolyte’s surrounding environment can dictate its structural features and potential applications. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface forces apparatus (SFA) measurements, and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations are combined to study the structure of planar...
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sg-ntu-dr.10356-902062023-07-14T15:52:54Z Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes Yu, Jing Jackson, Nicholas E. Xu, Xin Brettmann, Blair K. Ruths, Marina de Pablo, Juan J. Tirrell, Matthew School of Materials Science & Engineering Polyelectrolyte Brushes DRNTU::Engineering::Materials Planar Polyelectrolyte Subtle details about a polyelectrolyte’s surrounding environment can dictate its structural features and potential applications. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface forces apparatus (SFA) measurements, and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations are combined to study the structure of planar polyelectrolyte brushes [poly(styrenesulfonate), PSS] in a variety of solvent conditions. More specifically, AFM images provide a first direct visualization of lateral inhomogeneities on the surface of polyelectrolyte brushes collapsed in solutions containing trivalent counterions. These images are interpreted in the context of a coarse-grained molecular model and are corroborated by accompanying interaction force measurements with the SFA. Our findings indicate that lateral inhomogeneities are absent from PSS brush layers collapsed in a poor solvent without multivalent ions. Together, AFM, SFA, and our molecular model present a detailed picture in which solvophobic and multivalent ion–induced effects work in concert to drive strong phase separation, with electrostatic bridging of polyelectrolyte chains playing an essential role in the collapsed structure formation. Published version 2018-12-26T02:18:15Z 2019-12-06T17:43:05Z 2018-12-26T02:18:15Z 2019-12-06T17:43:05Z 2017 Journal Article Yu, J., Jackson, N. E., Xu, X., Brettmann, B. K., Ruths, M., de Pablo, J. J., & Tirrell, M. (2017). Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes. Science Advances, 3(12), eaao1497-. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aao1497 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/90206 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/47190 10.1126/sciadv.aao1497 en Science Advances © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC). 10 p. application/pdf |
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Polyelectrolyte Brushes DRNTU::Engineering::Materials Planar Polyelectrolyte Yu, Jing Jackson, Nicholas E. Xu, Xin Brettmann, Blair K. Ruths, Marina de Pablo, Juan J. Tirrell, Matthew Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
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Subtle details about a polyelectrolyte’s surrounding environment can dictate its structural features and potential applications. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface forces apparatus (SFA) measurements, and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations are combined to study the structure of planar polyelectrolyte brushes [poly(styrenesulfonate), PSS] in a variety of solvent conditions. More specifically, AFM images provide a first direct visualization of lateral inhomogeneities on the surface of polyelectrolyte brushes collapsed in solutions containing trivalent counterions. These images are interpreted in the context of a coarse-grained molecular model and are corroborated by accompanying interaction force measurements with the SFA. Our findings indicate that lateral inhomogeneities are absent from PSS brush layers collapsed in a poor solvent without multivalent ions. Together, AFM, SFA, and our molecular model present a detailed picture in which solvophobic and multivalent ion–induced effects work in concert to drive strong phase separation, with electrostatic bridging of polyelectrolyte chains playing an essential role in the collapsed structure formation. |
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School of Materials Science & Engineering |
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School of Materials Science & Engineering Yu, Jing Jackson, Nicholas E. Xu, Xin Brettmann, Blair K. Ruths, Marina de Pablo, Juan J. Tirrell, Matthew |
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Article |
author |
Yu, Jing Jackson, Nicholas E. Xu, Xin Brettmann, Blair K. Ruths, Marina de Pablo, Juan J. Tirrell, Matthew |
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Yu, Jing |
title |
Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
title_short |
Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
title_full |
Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
title_fullStr |
Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
title_full_unstemmed |
Multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
title_sort |
multivalent ions induce lateral structural inhomogeneities in polyelectrolyte brushes |
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2018 |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10356/90206 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/47190 |
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1772827009152450560 |