Superchaotropic Nano-ion Binding as a Gelation Motif in Cellulose Ether Solutions.

ABSTRACT: Nanometer-sized anions (nano-ions) like polyoxometalates and boron clusters exhibit so-called superchaotropic behavior, which describes their strong binding to hydrated non-ionic matter in water. We show here that nano-ions, at millimolar concentrations, dramatically enhance the viscosity and induce gelation of aqueous solutions of non-ionic cellulose ethers (CEs), a class of widely utilized polymers known for their thickening and gel-forming ability. These phenomena arise from an interplay of attractive forces and repulsive electrostatic forces between CE-chains upon nano-ion binding. The attractive forces manifest themselves as aggregation of CE-chains into a physically crosslinked polymer network (gel). In turn, the electrostatic repulsions hamper the viscosity increase and gelation. Su

SUBMITTER: Hohenschutz M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10107358 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature