Formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers

A mechanism for the formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers is proposed. A ll of the experiments on such systems show that there is strong interpenetr ation of consecutive layers. We explain the very strong stability of the mu ltilayers by the complexation between polyelectrolytes of opposite signs. S caling laws on bulk polyelectrolyte complexation and their applications to the case of multilayers are derived in analogy with the description of neut ral polymers under poor solvent conditions. Qualitative agreement is reache d with some recent experiments.