Berlin 2012 – scientific programme
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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 19: Charged Soft Matter
CPP 19.1: Talk
Wednesday, March 28, 2012, 09:30–09:45, C 243
Structure and Dynamics of Polyelectrolytes in Aggregates with oppositely charged Surfactants — •Ingo Hoffmann1,2, Bela Farago2, Norman J. Wagner3, and Michael Gradzielski1 — 1TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany — 2Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France — 3University of Delaware, Newark, USA
Systems composed of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes and surfactants show rich self-aggregation behavior that varies over a large size range and have many applications e.g. in cosmetics, detergency and drug delivery. Mixtures of the cationic polyelectrolyte JR 400 with anionic surfactants (SDS, SDBS) in the semi-dilute regime with a slight excess of polymer charges form highly viscous network structures. In this study we investigated the structure and dynamics of the aggregates and its individual components i.e., the polyelectrolyte chain and the surfactant, with the aid of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin-echo (NSE). Neutron scattering provides the unique ability to match the contrast of a certain component with that of the solvent by changing its isotopic composition and thereby rendering it *invisible*. This is achieved bu using a deuterated surfactant (d-SDS) and an appropriate mixture of H2O and D2O as solvent.
In summary, we studied the behaviour of polyelectrolytes in solutions of mixed aggregates of polyelectrolytes and oppositely charged surfactants using neutron scattering to gain an understanding of the role of the individual components in the formation and dynamics of such aggregates. This understanding can be valuable for the design of future formulations.