https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050980
Simple model for attraction between like-charged polyions
1
Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal
do Rio Grande do Sul Caixa Postal 15051, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS,
Brazil
2
Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal
Fluminense Av. Litorânea, s/n, 24210-340, Niterói, RJ,
Brazil
Corresponding author: a levin@if.ufrgs.br
Received:
10
March
1999
Revised:
20
April
1999
Published online: 15 November 1999
We present a simple model for the possible mechanism of appearance of
attraction between like charged polyions inside a polyelectrolyte solution.
The attraction is found to be short ranged, and exists only in the
presence of multivalent counterions.
It is produced by the correlations in
layers of condensed counterions surrounding each polyion and is
only weakly temperature dependent. We find the attraction to be
maximum at zero temperature and dimish as the temperature is raised.
The attraction is only possible if the number of condensed
counterions exceeds the
threshold, 
, where α is the valence of
counterions and Z is the polyion charge.
PACS: 61.20.Qg – Structure of associated liquids: electrolytes, molten salts, etc. / 61.25.Hq – Macromolecular and polymer solutions; polymer melts; swelling
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999
