Exploring the Impact of Zwitterions in Discrete Charge Arrangements of Stimuli-Responsive Polyelectrolyte Complexes

The effects of introducing zwitterionic 2-methacryloyloxyethyl­phosphorylcholine (MPC) into synthetic aqueous coacervates are described. A series of polyampholytes and polyelectrolytes composed of methacrylic acid and N-(3-aminopropyl)­methacrylamide hydrochloride with increasing amounts of MPC were prepared by free radical copolymerization. The compositional drift of charged monomers in polyampholytes was minimized by controlling the degree of …