Scaling Theory of Polyelectrolyte and Polyampholyte Micelles.

Polymer solutions have been extensively studied for the past three decades [1-3]. Owing to the successful application of scaling theory [1] the solution properties of uncharged polymers are now reasonably well understood. How- ever, many practically important polymers, both synthetic and natural, are charged in polar solvents, most commonly in water. The added complexity of charged systems stems from their long-range electrostatic interactions. The additional emerging length scales make the scaling approach to charged sys- tems much more challenging than for neutral ones. At the same time, research into the functional materials, drug delivery formulations and stabilization of colloidal systems has led to the development of new types of polyelectrolytes, including charged polymeric surfactants. Study of these new polymers is of great industrial importance and provides an excellent opportunity for the in- troduction and validation of theoretical approaches. Therefore the theory of solutions of charged polymers remains a quickly developing area of polymer physics and material science [4-6]. In contrast to low-molecular weight compounds, polymers have a very important structural degree of freedom called molecular architecture. Specifi- cally, linear polymer chains can be linked together in different fashions form- ing a single macromolecule. The control of molecular architecture is a widely used approach in the development of polymers with desired properties [7]. The simplest examples of the chain arrangement are block copolymers, where chemically different chains are linked together end to end, and polymer stars, where several chains are linked at one point. The conformations of polymer subchains in a branched molecule depend on its architecture. For example, the interaction of monomers in a star is stronger than in a linear chain because of the additional interactions between the monomers belonging to different chains (arms). If, for example, the monomers along the chain repel each other, the arms in a star will be more extended than the equivalent linear chains [8]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]