Scaling behaviour of polyelectrolytes and polyelectrolyte brushes

Summary

Simulation results as well as experimental data indicate that full stretching of flexible polyelectrolytes will not occur under experimentally realizable conditions. Using density-dependent swelling exponents ν(ϕ) as suggested by Stevens and Kremer from the results of a MD simulation study, we present an Alexander-de Gennes-like scaling picture for the behaviour of charged brushes. The brush height is found to become dependent on the grafting density as soon as internal stretching is incomplete. For a particular anchoring technique used in experimental studies the grafting density itself becomes dependent on the chain length. The resulting modified overall chain length dependence of the brush height is discussed.