INTERACTIONS OF POLYELECTROLYTES WITH THE LYOTROPIC LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE SYSTEM HEXADECYLTRIMETHYLAMMONIUM BROMIDE DECANOL/WATER/

The influence of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes on the interlayer spacing of the lamellar liquid crystalline system hexadecyltrimethyla mmonium bromide/decanol/water was investigated by means of small angle X-ray diffraction and polarized microscopy. It could be demonstrated that a liquid crystalline phase was still formed by introducing a cati onic polymer of low molecular weight into the lamellar structure. A di sordering of the preformed structure and a decrease of the interlayer spacing occurred via penetration of the macromolecule between the hydr ocarbon chains of the surfactant molecules. By using a ''penetration'' model for the disordering phenomena, ''folded'' and ''telescoped'' st ructures are discussed. The polyanion in a polyanion/polycation mixtur e gave the same structural change as when added alone.