Influence of the degree of ionization on weak polyelectrolyte multilayer assembly

The effects of charge density on weak polyelectrolyte multilayer growth were investigated by assembling several strong polyelectrolytes with either poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) to keep one polymer fully charged while varying the degree of ionization of the other. The degree of ionization of the weak polyelectrolytes in solution and in a multilayer film was controlled by pH adjustment and quantified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. In all cases, the bilayer thickness exhibited a dramatic change from molecularly thin bilayers (case of two fully charged polymers) to much thicker bilayers when the degree of ionization of the weak polyelectrolyte decreased below 70-90% charged units. We also confirmed and quantified earlier observations that both the charge density and the effective pK(a) of a weak polyelectrolyte can change substantially from solution-state values when the polymer is incorporated into a multilayer film. In addition, it was found that the degree of ionization of PAA in a multilayer film is also influenced strongly by the type of polycation used in the assembly process.