Polyelectrolyte adsorption

2014 The adsorption of uncharged polymers is, due to numerous efforts over past decades, fairly well understood. Some insight exists into the structure of the adsorbed layer, and the effect of the important parameters molecular weight, solvency and polymer/surface interaction has been investigated. Theory and experiment are beginning to converge. The polyelectrolyte adsorption process, however, is far from understood, because it is so very complex. In addition to the aforementioned parameters, three more variables are involved, namely the electrostatic properties of the adsorbent surface, those of the polyelectrolyte, and the concentration of small ions. It is the aim of this contribution to highlight important questions and to review the available experimental data. Theory is still in its infancy, the more so since some data are indicative of metastable states. Some promising approaches will be discussed. J. Phys. France 49 (1988) 1001-1008 JUIN 1988, I