Effect of Chemical Nature of 1,1-Salt on Structure of Polyelectrolyte Gel−Surfactant Complexes

The effect of the chemical nature of a 1,1-salt on the structure of polyelectrolyte gel−surfactant complexes (PSCs) formed from poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride and anionic surfactants is studied. The anions of the salt can compete with the surfactant ions for the formation of ionic bonds with the gel, thus destroying the highly ordered crystal-like structure of the PSC. On the other hand, the cations of the salt can participate in the fitting of the crystal-like structure of nonstoichiometric complexes that contain an excess of surfactant ions. The kinetics study showed that the formation of a highly ordered structure in a PSC is a slow process that can be accelerated by the addition of sodium chloride.