Polyelectrolyte pKa from experiment and molecular dynamics simulation
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The pKa of a polyelectrolyte has been determined experimentally by potentiometric titration and computed using Molecular Dynamics (MD) constant pH (CpH) methodology, which allows the pKa of each titratable site along the polymer backbone to be determined separately, a procedure which is not possible by current experimental techniques. By using experimental results within the CpHMD method, the simulations show that the protonation states of neighbouring residues are anti-correlated so that the charges are well-separated. As found with previous simulation studies on model polyelectrolytes, the end groups are predicted to be the most acidic. CpHMD is shown to result in distinct polymer conformations, brought about by the range of protonation states changes along the polymer; this can now be used in the design of pH-responsive polymers for, amongst other applications, additive formulation and drug delivery devices.
Date Issued
2017-04-05
Date Acceptance
2017-03-23
Citation
RSC Advances, 2017, 7, pp.20007-20014
ISSN
2046-2069
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
20007
End Page
20014
Journal / Book Title
RSC Advances
Volume
7
Copyright Statement
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2017. his article is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Sponsor
BP International Limited
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
BP cost code 3300008240
EP/N025954/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
PH-RESPONSIVE POLYMERS
CONSTANT-PH
MONTE-CARLO
DRUG-DELIVERY
TITRATING POLYELECTROLYTES
SENSITIVE POLYMERS
SURFACE-PROPERTIES
LAMBDA-DYNAMICS
GENE DELIVERY
PROTEINS
Publication Status
Published