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Sequence-Controlled Complex Coacervation of Random Polyelectrolytes

ORAL

Abstract

The primary sequence of monomers along a backbone of heteropolymers impacts their physical properties. Random heteropolymers with the sequences following a first-order Markov process arise from statistical copolymerization of different monomers. In this work, we study complex coacervation of oppositely charged, random polyelectrolytes, i.e., polyanions and polycations containing statistically distributed charged and uncharged units. It is shown that increasing blockiness of charged monomers in the primary structure of the random polyelectrolytes favors the formation of dense coacervates. Charge blockiness also improves coacervate salt resistance and increases the width of the two-phase solution region. This effect is due to the enhanced cooperativity of Coulomb interactions between oppositely charged monomers within the coacervate. Our findings demonstrate that the solution phase behavior can be controlled through the design of the Markov monomer sequences, which are governed by the kinetics of statistical copolymerization.

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Presenters

  • Juan De Pablo

    University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago. Argonne National Laboratory, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineerin, The University of Chicago, Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

Authors

  • Artem Rumyantsev

    University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

  • Nicholas Jackson

    Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, University of Chicago

  • Boyuan Yu

    Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, University of Chicago

  • Jeffrey M Ting

    University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

  • Wei Chen

    University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory

  • Matthew Tirrell

    The University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, University of Chicago

  • Juan De Pablo

    University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago. Argonne National Laboratory, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineerin, The University of Chicago, Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago