Relaxation dynamics at different time scales in electrostatic complexes: time-salt superposition

Phys Rev Lett. 2010 Nov 12;105(20):208301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.208301. Epub 2010 Nov 8.

Abstract

In this Letter we show that in the rheology of electrostatically assembled soft materials, salt concentration plays a similar role as temperature for polymer melts, and as strain rate for soft solids. We rescale linear and nonlinear rheological data of a set of model electrostatic complexes at different salt concentrations to access a range of time scales that is otherwise inaccessible. This provides new insights into the relaxation mechanisms of electrostatic complexes, which we rationalize in terms of a microscopic mechanism underlying salt-enhanced activated processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electrolytes / chemistry
  • Rheology
  • Salts / chemistry*
  • Static Electricity*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Electrolytes
  • Salts