INTERACTION OF LINEAR POLYELECTROLYTES WITH OPPOSITELY CHARGED LIGHTLY CROSS-LINKED NETWORKS

The processes proceeding at the contact of highly swollen lightly cros s-linked polyelectrolyte networks with aqueous solutions of oppositely charged linear polyions were studied. The reactions under discussion proceed as frontal processes and follow by strong (three orders of mag nitude) contraction of the gel sample. The existence of sharp boundary between outer weakly swollen layer which is the reaction product-inte rpolyelectrolyte complex and the highly swollen inner part which is th e initial unconverted gel is characteristic For the process. The kinet ics of linear polyions absorption by polyelectrolyte networks and fact ors controlling the rate of sorption such as chemical structure of pol yelectrolytes, nature and concentration of simple salts, pH, temperatu re were investigated. The ''relay-race'' mechanism of linear polyelect rolyte transport was established.