Nanostructures Formed by Self-Assembly of Negatively Charged Polymer and Cationic Surfactants

The formation of nanoparticles by interaction of an anionic polyelectrolyte, sodium polyacrylate (NaPA), was studied with a series of oppositely charged surfactants with different chain lengths, alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (C(n)TAB). The binding and formation of nanoparticles was characterized by dynamic light scattering, zeta-potential, and self-diffusion NMR. The inner nanostructure of the particles was observed by direct-imaging cryogenic-temperature transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), indicating aggregates of hexagonal liquid crystal with nanometric size.