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Download fileFlexible Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Solutions: A Small Angle Scattering Study
journal contribution
posted on 15.05.2007, 00:00 authored by P. Vallat, J.-M. Catala, M. Rawiso, F. SchosselerThe aqueous solutions of a fully neutralized flexible conjugated polyacid, the poly(3-thiophene
sodium acetate) (P3TNaA), are studied by small angle scattering techniques, as a function of polymer concentration,
molecular weight and added salt concentration. The characteristic polyelectrolyte scattering peak obeys the
predictions of the isotropic model, in good agreement with the behavior of saturated polyelectrolyte solutions.
Despite the presence of irreversible aggregates formed during the synthesis, no further aggregation occurs in
solution whatever the polymer or added salt concentration. Thus, these conjugated polyelectrolytes remain
hydrosoluble and well-dispersed when the electrostatic repulsion is screened, probably due to their small bare
persistence length that prevents large dispersion forces in the undoped state.