scholarly journals Fundamentals and mechanics of polyelectrolyte gels: Thermodynamics, swelling, scattering, and elasticity

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 041309
Author(s):  
Kathryn G. Wilcox ◽  
Susan K. Kozawa ◽  
Svetlana Morozova
Keyword(s):  
Polyelectrolyte Gels

scholarly journals Polyelectrolyte Gels: A Unique Class of Soft Materials

Gels ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Ferenc Horkay
Keyword(s):  
Exchange Process ◽  
Interaction Strength ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Swelling Kinetics ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gels ◽  
Ion Exchange Process ◽  
Counter Ions ◽  
Kinetics Of

The objective of this article is to introduce the readers to the field of polyelectrolyte gels. These materials are common in living systems and have great importance in many biomedical and industrial applications. In the first part of this paper, we briefly review some characteristic properties of polymer gels with an emphasis on the unique features of this type of soft material. Unsolved problems and possible future research directions are highlighted. In the second part, we focus on the typical behavior of polyelectrolyte gels. Many biological materials (e.g., tissues) are charged (mainly anionic) polyelectrolyte gels. Examples are shown to illustrate the effect of counter-ions on the osmotic swelling behavior and the kinetics of the swelling of model polyelectrolyte gels. These systems exhibit a volume transition as the concentration of higher valence counter-ions is gradually increased in the equilibrium bath. A hierarchy is established in the interaction strength between the cations and charged polymer molecules according to the chemical group to which the ions belong. The swelling kinetics of sodium polyacrylate hydrogels is investigated in NaCl solutions and in solutions containing both NaCl and CaCl2. In the presence of higher valence counter-ions, the swelling/shrinking behavior of these gels is governed by the diffusion of free ions in the swollen network, the ion exchange process and the coexistence of swollen and collapsed states.

scholarly journals Polyelectrolyte Gels Formed by Filamentous Biopolymers: Dependence of Crosslinking Efficiency on the Chemical Softness of Divalent Cations

Gels ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Katrina Cruz ◽  
Yu-Hsiu Wang ◽  
Shaina A. Oake ◽  
Paul A. Janmey
Keyword(s):  
Alkaline Earth ◽  
Divalent Cations ◽  
Transition Metal Ions ◽  
Atomic Weight ◽  
Mechanical Resistance ◽  
Flexible Polymers ◽  
Interpenetrating Networks ◽  
Charge Densities ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gels ◽  
Different Types

Filamentous anionic polyelectrolytes are common in biological materials. Some examples are the cytoskeletal filaments that assemble into networks and bundled structures to give the cell mechanical resistance and that act as surfaces on which enzymes and other molecules can dock. Some viruses, especially bacteriophages are also long thin polyelectrolytes, and their bending stiffness is similar to those of the intermediate filament class of cytoskeletal polymers. These relatively stiff, thin, and long polyelectrolytes have charge densities similar to those of more flexible polyelectrolytes such as DNA, hyaluronic acid, and polyacrylates, and they can form interpenetrating networks and viscoelastic gels at volume fractions far below those at which more flexible polymers form hydrogels. In this report, we examine how different types of divalent and multivalent counterions interact with two biochemically different but physically similar filamentous polyelectrolytes: Pf1 virus and vimentin intermediate filaments (VIF). Different divalent cations aggregate both polyelectrolytes similarly, but transition metal ions are more efficient than alkaline earth ions and their efficiency increases with increasing atomic weight. Comparison of these two different types of polyelectrolyte filaments enables identification of general effects of counterions with polyelectrolytes and can identify cases where the interaction of the counterions and the filaments exhibits stronger and more specific interactions than those of counterion condensation.

scholarly journals Molecular simulation of the swelling of polyelectrolyte gels by monovalent and divalent counterions

2008 ◽  
Vol 129 (15) ◽  
pp. 154902 ◽  
Author(s):  
De-Wei Yin ◽  
Ferenc Horkay ◽  
Jack F. Douglas ◽  
Juan J. de Pablo
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Simulation ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gels

High-frequency dielectric relaxation of polyelectrolyte gels

1997 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 7283-7287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Furusawa ◽  
Kohzo Ito ◽  
Reinosuke Hayakawa
Keyword(s):  
Dielectric Relaxation ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gels

Modeling of Polyelectrolyte Gels in Equilibrium with Salt Solutions

2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (20) ◽  
pp. 7698-7708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Košovan ◽  
Tobias Richter ◽  
Christian Holm
Keyword(s):  
Salt Solutions ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gels

scholarly journals Tissue Engineering of Muscles and Cartilages Using Polyelectrolyte Hydrogels

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyuck Joon Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gel ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Gels ◽  
Joint Surfaces ◽  
Functional Replacement ◽  
And Cartilage

The prevalent nature of osteoarthritis that causes the erosion of joint surfaces and loss of mobility and muscle dystrophy that weakens the musculoskeletal system and hampers locomotion underlies the importance of developing functional replacement or regeneration of muscle and cartilage tissues. Polyelectrolyte gels have high potential as cellular scaffolds due to characteristic properties similar to biological matrixes. A number of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that polyelectrolyte gels are useful for replacement and regeneration of muscle and cartilage tissues. In addition, it was also found that polyelectrolyte gels have high biocompatibility, durability, and resistance to biodegradation. Moreover, polyelectrolyte gels can overcome their drawbacks of mechanical behavior by introducing double network into the gel. This paper reviews the current status and recent progress of polyelectrolyte gel-based tissue engineering for repairs of muscle and cartilage tissues.

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