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Kinetics of Complex Formation between DNA and Cationically Charged Cylindrical Brush Polymers Observed by Stopped Flow Light Scattering
Author(s) -
Kuehn Frauke,
Fischer Karl,
Schmidt Manfred
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.200900166
Subject(s) - polymer , ion , pyridinium , light scattering , static light scattering , dynamic light scattering , kinetic energy , chemistry , kinetics , polymer chemistry , materials science , chemical physics , scattering , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , physics , chromatography , optics , organic chemistry , nanoparticle , quantum mechanics
The complex formation of pUC19 DNA and a cylindrical brush polymer with quaternized poly(vinyl pyridinium) side chains is investigated by stopped flow light scattering (LS). In highly dilute solutions up to two kinetic processes are observable, depending on the mole fraction of anionic charges, x anion . For x anion < 0.2 and x anion > 0.4–0.5 only one kinetic process was identified leading to the largest complexes at x anion = 0.4 well below charge stoichiometry. For 0.2 < x anion < 0.4 two kinetic growth processes were identified: The initially formed complexes on the time scale of a few hundred milliseconds keep growing by an unusual fractal growth process until after several minutes they become stable. This last fractal process does not follow the classical Smoluchowski coagulation theory as monitored by LS up to 90 s after mixing.