Charge density and solvent effects on polyelectrolyte complexation*

The fundamental polymer physics of polyelectrolyte complexation have been clarified substantially in recent years. However, the handles for tuning the phase behavior amd properties of polyelectrolyte complexes are numerous, every bit as large as the tuning of copolymer properties governed by van der Waals interactions. Thhis talk will present our studies on changing the solvent quality and the linear charge density along the chains in such complexes. Large, qualitative changes in the structure and properties of the complexes can be induced by both variables.