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REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS

Self-organization in ion-containing polymer systems

A. R. Khokhlov, E. E. Dormidontova

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics

Abstract: A review is presented of theoretical and experimental studies on self-organization processes in ion-containing polymers (polyelectrolytes and ionomers). The high probability of various types of regular nanostructures in such systems is due to the effective competition between different interaction types, particularly the long-range Coulomb forces and hydrophobic interactions. The following self-organization phenomena in charged molecular systems are considered at some length: microphase separation in weakly charged polyelectrolyte solutions and gels in poor solvents; ordering in complexes of polyelectrolyte gels with oppositely charged surfactants; and formation of multiplet structures in ionomer systems.

PACS: 36.20.-r, 61.25.Hq, 82.35.+t, 82.70.Gg

Received: December 31, 1997

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0167.199702a.0113

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 1997, 40:2, 109–124

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