Critical Conditions Regulating the Gelation in Macroionic Cluster Solutions

Xiaohan Xu; Yuqing Yang; Yifan Zhou; Kexing Xiao; Jennifer E.S. Szymanowski; Ginger E. Sigmon; Peter C. Burns; Tianbo Liu

doi:10.1002/advs.202308902

Critical Conditions Regulating the Gelation in Macroionic Cluster Solutions

Xiaohan Xu
, Yuqing Yang
, Yifan Zhou
, Kexing Xiao
, Jennifer E.S. Szymanowski
, Ginger E. Sigmon
, Peter C. Burns
, Tianbo Liu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The critical gelation conditions observed in dilute aqueous solutions of multiple nanoscale uranyl peroxide molecular clusters are reported, in the presence of multivalent cations. This gelation is dominantly driven by counterion-mediated attraction. The gelation areas in the corresponding phase diagrams all appear in similar locations, with a characteristic triangle shape outlining three critical boundary conditions, corresponding to the critical cluster concentration, cation/cluster ratio, and the degree of counterion association with increasing cluster concentration. These interesting phrasal observations reveal general conditions for gelation driven by electrostatic interactions in hydrophilic macroionic solutions.

Original language	English
Article number	2308902
Journal	Advanced Science
Volume	11
Issue number	18
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202308902
State	Published - May 15 2024
Externally published	Yes

Funding

T.L. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation (NSF CHE1904397 and EFRI E3P2132178) and the University of Akron. The authors are thankful to Dr. Shi‐Qing Wang, Zehao Fan, and Asal Yousefi Siavoshani at the University of Akron for their help in rheological studies. P.C.B. acknowledges support from the University of Notre Dame.

Keywords

counterion-mediated attraction
gelation transition
hydrogel
macroion
polyoxometalate

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abstract = "The critical gelation conditions observed in dilute aqueous solutions of multiple nanoscale uranyl peroxide molecular clusters are reported, in the presence of multivalent cations. This gelation is dominantly driven by counterion-mediated attraction. The gelation areas in the corresponding phase diagrams all appear in similar locations, with a characteristic triangle shape outlining three critical boundary conditions, corresponding to the critical cluster concentration, cation/cluster ratio, and the degree of counterion association with increasing cluster concentration. These interesting phrasal observations reveal general conditions for gelation driven by electrostatic interactions in hydrophilic macroionic solutions.",

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AU - Yang, Yuqing

AU - Zhou, Yifan

AU - Xiao, Kexing

AU - Szymanowski, Jennifer E.S.

AU - Sigmon, Ginger E.

AU - Burns, Peter C.

AU - Liu, Tianbo

PY - 2024/5/15

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N2 - The critical gelation conditions observed in dilute aqueous solutions of multiple nanoscale uranyl peroxide molecular clusters are reported, in the presence of multivalent cations. This gelation is dominantly driven by counterion-mediated attraction. The gelation areas in the corresponding phase diagrams all appear in similar locations, with a characteristic triangle shape outlining three critical boundary conditions, corresponding to the critical cluster concentration, cation/cluster ratio, and the degree of counterion association with increasing cluster concentration. These interesting phrasal observations reveal general conditions for gelation driven by electrostatic interactions in hydrophilic macroionic solutions.

AB - The critical gelation conditions observed in dilute aqueous solutions of multiple nanoscale uranyl peroxide molecular clusters are reported, in the presence of multivalent cations. This gelation is dominantly driven by counterion-mediated attraction. The gelation areas in the corresponding phase diagrams all appear in similar locations, with a characteristic triangle shape outlining three critical boundary conditions, corresponding to the critical cluster concentration, cation/cluster ratio, and the degree of counterion association with increasing cluster concentration. These interesting phrasal observations reveal general conditions for gelation driven by electrostatic interactions in hydrophilic macroionic solutions.

KW - counterion-mediated attraction

KW - gelation transition

KW - hydrogel

KW - macroion

KW - polyoxometalate

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VL - 11

JO - Advanced Science

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M1 - 2308902

ER -

Critical Conditions Regulating the Gelation in Macroionic Cluster Solutions

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