Complex Coacervation between Colloidal Silica and Polyacrylamide

Complex coacervation introduced by gamma-ray induced polymerization of acrylamide in colloidal silica was studied. The complex coacervate was formed by polymerization of acrylamide dissolved in a colloidal silica and methanol mixture. Complex coacervation (two-phase separation of the mixture) was observed only when the concentration of methanol was between 33 and 41 percent by volume, and the concentration of colloidal silica did not affect it. Although two phase separation was not influenced by pH change, the content of polyacrylamide was bigger in the equilibrated solution in acidic regions. It was, however, bigger in the complex coacervate at neutral and in alkaline regions. The content of polyacrylamide was also calculated from the partticle diameter of complex coacervate measured by small angle X-ray scattering, and the result was well coincided with the analytical result. The stability of the complex coacervate against the addition of salts was better than that of the untreated colloidal silica. The rate of electrophoretic transport of the complex coacervate was also lower than that of the colloidal silica. From these observation it was concluded that the hydrophobic colloidal silica particles were protected by the surrounding hydrophilic polyacrylamide.