Complexation of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes and surfactants in aqueous solutions. A review.

Addition of surfactants to aqueous solutions of polyelectrolytes causes the spontaneous formation of complexes in a certain range of concentrations. In some conditions, compact monodisperse multichain complexes are obtained (short surfactant chain length and polymer rigid enough). The size of the complexes can be varied in controlled way from nanometers up to micrometers, but depends on the mixing procedure, whereas the shape of the complexes depends on the polymer backbone rigidity. These complexes exhibit microstructures analogue to that of the precipitates formed at higher concentrations. In most cases, however, the complexes are large, soft and polydisperse.