Dynamics in Polyelectrolyte Complex Materials*

Recent efforts have dramatically enhanced our understanding of the thermodynamic phase behavior of polymer-based complex coacervates. Extending this knowledge to include the molecular mechanisms that dominate the dynamics of polyelectrolyte complexes is the next critical step in enabling the intelligent design of these materials. We utilize traditional linear viscoelasticity measurements in parallel with novel optical and fluorescence based methods for characterizing the dynamic mechanical response of various polyelectrolyte complex materials as a function of polymer chemistry, length, architecture, the patterning of charge and/or hydrophobicity along the polymer, and solution conditions. These results provide a molecularly-informed understanding of how intermolecular interactions in complex coacervates affect the processability of these materials in applications ranging from spin coating to electrospinning.