(608c) Polyelectrolyte Complexation of Conjugated Polyelectrolytes for Mixed Conductive Complex Fluids

Electrostatic assembly strategies of conjugated polyelectrolytes, which combine a π-conjugated polymer backbone with pendant ionic groups, offer an opportunity for tuning materials properties and device performance. The polyelectrolyte complexation behavior of a cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte (Poly{3-[6-(1-butylimidazolium-3yl)hexyl]thiophene-2,5-diyl bromide}) with polystyrene sulfonate, is explored to illustrate an equilibrium phase diagram parametrized by electrostatic strength, solvent quality, polymer concentration. Four distinct phases are formed: soluble complexes, precipitates, complex coacervates, and gel precipitates, highlighting rich coacervation behavior in low-dielectric media. Each phase has unique local structure and organization, which translates to phase-dependent conductivity and electronic properties.