Motion of Molecular Probes and Viscosity Scaling in Polyelectrolyte Solutions at Physiological Ionic Strength

PLoS One. 2016 Aug 18;11(8):e0161409. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161409. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

We investigate transport properties of model polyelectrolyte systems at physiological ionic strength (0.154 M). Covering a broad range of flow length scales-from diffusion of molecular probes to macroscopic viscous flow-we establish a single, continuous function describing the scale dependent viscosity of high-salt polyelectrolyte solutions. The data are consistent with the model developed previously for electrically neutral polymers in a good solvent. The presented approach merges the power-law scaling concepts of de Gennes with the idea of exponential length scale dependence of effective viscosity in complex liquids. The result is a simple and applicable description of transport properties of high-salt polyelectrolyte solutions at all length scales, valid for motion of single molecules as well as macroscopic flow of the complex liquid.

MeSH terms

  • Molecular Probes / chemistry*
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Polyelectrolytes / chemistry*
  • Solutions / chemistry*
  • Viscosity*

Substances

  • Molecular Probes
  • Polyelectrolytes
  • Solutions

Grants and funding

The authors acknowledge the National Science Centre (https://www.ncn.gov.pl/) for funding the project from the funds granted on the basis of the decision number 2011/02/A/ST3/00143 (Maestro grant).