Intra- and Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes of Polyampholytes

Abstract

At present, a large amount of research works from experimental and theoretical points of view have been done on interpolyelectrolyte complexes formed by electrostatic interactions and/or interpolymer complexes stabilized by hydrogen bonds. On the contrary, relatively less attention has been given to polymer-polymer complex formation with synthetic polyampholytes. In this review the complexation of polyampholytes with polyelectrolytes is considered from theoretical and application points of view. Formation of intra- and interpolyelectrolyte complexes of random, regular, block, dendritic polyampholytes are outlined. The separate subchapter is devoted to amphoteric behavior of interpolyelectrolyte complexes. The realization of so-called “isoelectric effect” for interpolyelectrolyte complexes of water-soluble polyampholytes, amphoteric hydrogels and cryogels with respect to surfactants, dye molecules, polyelectrolytes and proteins is demonstrated.