Effect of low-molecular-mass salts on the behavior of water-soluble nonstoichiometric polyelectrolyte complexes

The effect of small ions, which are identical or opposite in charge to polyelectrolyte particles, on the structure and properties of a water-soluble nonstoichiometric polyelectrolyte complex (NPEC) composed of lyophilizing polymethacrylate anions (PMA) and blocking poly(N-ethyl-4-vinylpyridine) (PEP) cations was investigated using the luminescence quenching technique. With respect to their ability to induce NPEC dissociation, the ions were shown to exhibit the following order: Br - > Cl - > F - and Li + > Na + > K + >> (CH 3 ) 4 N + ; Both the affinity of halide ions for a blocking PEP cation, as well as the affinity of the above cation for a lyophilizing PMA anion, appear to follow the same order