Interpolymer complexes (IPC) are the products of non-covalent interactions between complementary unlike

macromolecule A macromolecule is a very large molecule important to biophysical processes, such as a protein or nucleic acid. It is composed of thousands of covalently bonded atoms. Many macromolecules are polymers of smaller molecules called monomers. The ...

s in solutions. There are 4 types of these complexes: # Interpolyelectrolyte complexes (IPEC) or polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) # Hydrogen-bonded interpolymer complexes # Stereocomplexes # Charge-transfer complexes

Formation of interpolymer complexes

Interpolymer complexes could be prepared either by mixing complementary polymers in solutions or by matrix (template) polymerisation. It is also possible to prepare IPCs at liquid-liquid interfaces or at solid or soft surfaces. Usually the structure of IPCs formed will depend on many factors, including the nature of interacting polymers, concentrations of their solutions, nature of solvent, presence of inorganic ions or organic molecules in solutions, etc. Mixing of dilute polymer solutions usually leads to formation of IPCs as a colloidal dispersion, whereas more concentrated polymer solutions form IPCs in the form of a

gel A gel is a semi-solid that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state, although the liquid phase may still di ...

Methods to study interpolymer complexes

Methods to study interpolymer complexes could be classified into (1) approaches to demonstrate the fact of the complex formation and to determine the composition of IPCs in solutions; (2) approaches to study the structure of IPCs formed; (3) methods to characterize IPCs in solid state.

Applications of interpolymer complexes

IPCs are finding applications in pharmaceutics in the design of novel dosage forms. They also are increasingly used to form various coatings using layer-by-layer deposition approach. Some IPCs were proposed for application as membranes and films. They also have been used for structuring of soils to protect from erosion. Other applications include encapsulation technologies.

References

{{Reflist Polymer chemistry