ABSORPTION OF IONIC AMPHIPHILS BY OPPOSITELY CHARGED POLYELECTROLYTE GELS

Slightly cross-linked polyelectrolytes absorb oppositely charged surfa ctants in aqueous media. Transfer of amphiphilic ions from solution in to the swollen network proceeds as a frontal heterogeneous cooperative reaction causing a collapse of the original polyelectrolyte gel. Smal l and wide angle X-ray diffraction data show that electrostatic comple x formed as a result of the reaction consists of lamellar type surfact ant micelles embedded in a polyelectrolyte network. It is also shown t hat such complexes contain equimolar amount of surfactant ions and ion ized polyelectrolyte units paired with amphiphil head groups. In other words a charged network is not able to bind surplus oppositely charge d surfactant ions. However, it is still able to solubilize a substanti al amount of a nonionized surfactant. Chemical structure of surfactant s strongly affect internal structure of lamellae and stability of the complexes.