Complex Formation of Biopolymers through Electrochemical Process

Charged polymers, or polyelectrolytes, and their complexes are found in many everyday products. Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in aqueous media can form polyelectrolyte complexes, as observed for alginate and chitosan, anionic and cationic biopolymers, respectively. The complex formation can be further facilitated by an electrochemical process, in which alginate and chitosan rapidly form a volume-spanning complex in an electrolytic cell. The complex is primarily elastic, as the storage modulus is higher than the loss modulus. The structure of the complex investigated by using small-angle X-ray scattering will be presented. The ability to control the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes via an electrochemical process will advance their applications across many areas, including biomedical and adhesives applications.