Supramolecular structures in polyelectrolyte gels

Three physical situations involving the formation of microstructures in polyelectrolyte gels have been considered. (i) The microstructure emerging in weakly charged polyelectrolyte gels upon the addition of a poor solvent. The following possible reasons for the microstructure formation have been analysed: the polyelectrolyte/hydrophobic competition, the formation of ion pairs and their clustering into multiplets, and the partial vitrification. (ii) The ionomer multiplet-type microstructures which appear in polyelectrolyte gels immersed in a solvent of medium polarity upon the increase of the degree of ionization of the gel. (iii) The microstructures which are formed in polyelectrolyte gels interacting with oppositely charged surfactants due to the aggregation of surfactants inside the network and quasicrystalline organization of the aggregates.